Freedom of the Heart: Treasure Planet Retold
by TreasurePlanetJimxZara
Summary: You know the story. Young Jim Hawkins goes on a daring quest to discover the notorious Captain Flint's legendary trove, Treasure Planet. But how would the story have changed if there were a love interest in Jim's life? What new challenges and triumphs would he have experienced to change his life forever?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

Zarabeth had just finished tidying up Captain Amelia's state-room when she heard footsteps approaching. The door swung open to allow everyone entrance. Along with the Captain and Mr. Arrow, there were two people Zara had never seen before. One was a boy with strangely styled brown hair in dark clothing, he looked about her own age, and the other was a sort of dog-man wearing a ridiculously oversized yellow and silver spacesuit.

Zarabeth quickly addresses the Captain, "I've finished up here. May I go back to the galley, ma'am?"

The Captain's feline head twitched about, scrutinizing the room. "A job well done. You have my permission to go."

She dipped her head in thanks and left the room in a hurry. Making her way to the door, she caught the boy watching her as she left. As soon as she closed the door, she let out a sigh of relief. On deck, Zarabeth made her way through the knots of spacers who were making preparations to launch. She half walked, half skipped as she avoided barrels, piles of rigging, and crates of supplies. She was almost to the galley when she suddenly tripped over something. She panicked and reached for a nearby barrel, which caught her from falling on her face. Looking back to see what she'd tripped on, Zara came face to face with the most disgusting member of the crew.

Mr. Scroop, a spider-crab alien, with his foggy yellow eyes and thin gray hair, smirked cruelly at the girl. His voice was like a bag of rocks grinding together in a horrible growl. "Watchh your ssstep missy." Without another word, his six legs clicked sharply as he chuckled and went off to continue his work.

Zarabeth hoisted herself upright, mumbling about Scroop all the way until she descended the steps into the galley.

A great booming voice, heavily accented, was there to greet her. "Well if i' t'ain't me favorite pastry chef. Zara, those puffs are smellin' mighty fine. Ready yet, are they?"

Zara had to smile. The stout cyborg, they called Silver, could cheer her up without even trying. He was the ship's cook for this voyage, and a very skilled one at that. Even though, they'd never met prior to this trip, they'd spent the last three days together, getting everything prepared. Silver and Zara meshed instantly. She hoisted herself to sit on the counter next to him, sniffing the aroma that filled the dimly lit kitchen. "Smells delicious, Silver. What is it?"

The old cyborg gave her "that" smile. Zara knew that Silver was proud of his cooking and was always itching to rattle off whatever impressive meal he'd prepared. It was always interesting to watch him cook. Silver had been in some type of accident, which affected only the right half of his body. With one bionic arm and leg, the cyborg was a bit frightful looking. But in his chest beat the heart of a teddy bear. He used his bionic arm to chop vegetables, flambeau sauces, and crack eggs all within seconds.

"'Tis me famous bonzabeast stew. Can't tell yeh nothin' else." He nudged Zara as he whispered, "Old family recipe, yeh see." He gave the girl a mischievous wink as she winked back.

Hopping down from the counter, Zara pulled on a pair of oven mitts and extracted a pan from the low flames of the stove. On the pan were beautiful, golden puffs of pastry, wisps of steam curling from their perfect forms. She tipped the pan so that the golden spheres rolled down into a chilled bowl to cool.

Silver casually waltzed over to observe. "Now wha 't'er yeh gonna fill dem with, lass?"

"Well, technically speaking, since they're cream puffs I should fill them with cream. But, my personal favorite way to fill them is with perp jelly." She grinned at the cyborg in satisfaction.

"Well ain't cha the next wonder of de universe! With smarts like t'ose, paired with some trainin' at university, you'll be goin' places, Zara." Silver gave the girl a pat on the back, looking as proud as though he were her own father.

Zarabeth forced a smile as she faced him. "You know I've told you I can't go. I already have work, work for Ame- the Captain. And even if I didn't, it costs a fortune to go to pastry school." Zara tried to look reassuring, but she had a feeling she wasn't very convincing. She wanted to go to school, more than anything. But she knew she had to be content. Trying to cover her own tracks, she continued, "Besides, who needs school when I've got people like you to be my Guinea pigs. You've been very willing to try everything I've made these last few days."

Silver just shook his head and smiled as he walked back to the counter he'd been working at.

Zarabeth opened a drawer next to her and took out a large pastry bag and a short silver tube to put in it. "Now for the perp jelly." The girl walked around the half circle room, which made up the kitchen, to the large closet that served as a dry goods pantry. Since there was no light or handle from the inside, Zara had to prop a bag of potatoes in front of the door to hold it open. The light from the cook fire behind illuminated the closet enough to see.

Zara gave the shelves a once-over, but didn't see the jar she was after. She scratched her head in frustration, trying to remember where she'd placed it. "Where are ya you little stinker..." Upon second inspection, her eyes fell upon the right jar. "Aha! Found ya!" But as soon as she laid hold of it, the glass jar melted away into a pink blob with little eyes. Zara gave a little gasp, but she soon regained composure. "Morph! Did you hide my perp jelly?"

The little pink blob floated about Zara's head and chirped amusedly. Morph was Silver's pet shape-shifter. Even though he was cute, he could be very troublesome sometimes. Morph buzzed twice around the girl's head before pulling out the jelly from behind some sacks of potatoes. After handing the jar over, Morph hurriedly floated back into the kitchen to see Silver. Zara laughed quietly to herself as she unblocked the door to close it behind her.

The old cyborg called out to her as she came out of the pantry. "Ah Zara! There's a lad here I'd like t'introduce ya to."

Zara turned to see that the boy she saw in the Captain's state-room was standing awkwardly by one of the wooden tables.

"Zarabeth, this here is Jim Hawkins, the new cabin boy."

Jim gave the girl a half smile after saying a simple "hi".

Zara smiled courteously. "Welcome aboard, Mr. Hawkins. It's good to have you."

"You can call me Jim."

Silver joined in, "Captain's put Jimbo under my charge, so we'll all be seein' quite a bit of each other."

Jim turned his face away as he sighed. "Yippee."

Zara tapped her nails against the jar she was holding. "Well this is awkward", she thought to herself.

A shrill whistle from above deck broke the silence, signaling that the ship was about to take off.

Silver cleared his throat. "You go on lad and enjoy the launch. There'll be plenty of work awaitin' ya when ya get back."

Once Jim was out of sight, Zara made her way back to the counter where she had been working. "A bit of a quiet one, that Hawkins boy."

Silver wiped his hands on his apron. "Oh I dunno. He'll come around eventually. You'll see." The cyborg gave Zara a mischievous glance. "Awfully fine to look at tho, eh meh girl?"

Zarabeth looked back towards the stairs. She chuckled at Silver's prodding. "I suppose. But I would like to lop that ponytail-braid thing off the back of his head."

Silver slapped his good knee as he laughed. "Well then, yeh just might be da one ta do it. Mmm?"

Zara turned away and smiled as she began to fill the puffs with jelly. Quite the guy, Silver was. This was promising to be an interesting voyage.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

A half hour after launch, Zarabeth was putting the finishing touches on her batch of jelly puffs when she heard Silver and Jim coming down the creaky stairs. Zara observed Jim from the corner of her eye as she stacked the puffs on a plate. The cabin boy seemed to be in better spirits now, and was talking jokingly with Silver.

Upon entering the kitchen, Silver got three bowls from out of a cupboard and filled each one with his simmering stew. He handed one to Jim and slid one over to Zara saying, "We'll start work after lunch, Jimbo. Zara, quit yer fiddlin' with that there plate. They look lovely. Incidentally though, are there any extras to be had?"

The girl pretended to ponder the question for a moment before suddenly tossing one in the cyborg's direction. "There always are."

Morph, who had just flown in from above deck, chirped around the bowl of pastries, licking his lips all the while. Zara scratched the little blob playfully before surrendering a puff to him.

Noticing that Jim had gone to sit atop one of the wooden dining tables to eat, Zara decided to join him. Picking up two jelly puffs and her bowl of soup she sat herself down on top of the same table. She held one of the puffs out to the cabin boy. "Here, I made them myself."

The boy looked at Zara, smiling, before taking one of them in his hand. "Thanks. What is it?"

"It's a puff pastry I filled with perp jelly. Do you like perps?"

Jim bit into the puff and closed his eyes in satisfaction. With mouth still full he spoke, half mumbled, "Lob fem!" After swallowing, "This is delicious!"

After a few minutes of eating and small talk, Zara spoke. "So, Jim the cabin boy, tell me about yourself."

Jim scraped the sides of his soup bowl for one last bite before answering. "Well let's see. My name is James Pleiadese Hawkins. I'm the eighteen year old flunk of my school. My dad walked out on me when I was twelve, so it's just me and my mom. My mom used to run an inn on Montressor. I can ride anything that flies. Yep." Jim finished with a joking flourish of his hands. "That's it."

Zara propped her head up against her hand, letting her wavy brown hair cascade behind her. "That was efficient. Is this always how you make friends?"

Jim cast his glance toward the wall. "Well I've never been very good at friends."

"Maybe it's not you."

Jim leaned against the galley wall, placing both feet on the table while he wrapped his arms about his knees. "How do you mean?"

Zarabeth turned to face him full-on, cross legged on the table. "People are fickle. If that little speech is all you give them, maybe they don't have the patience to get to know you for you. Because I know there's more to you than that."

Jim smirked and rubbed some stray hair up from his eyes. With sarcasm he asked, "Do you have the patience?"

Zara raised her eyebrows, "Even if I didn't have the patience, I have the time. Four months of it."

The two teens laughed as Silver approached them, something behind his back. "Jimbo, there be some new friends I'd like ya to meet. Say hello to Mr. Mop, and Mrs. Bucket." The cyborg threw the said items toward the boy, who barely caught them, his arms tangled together.

Laughing, Zara stood up and started walking back into the kitchen.

Jim called after her. "Hey Zara! Aren't you gonna help?"

Zara took a silver tea tray, arranged its various appendages, and placed the plate of jelly puffs with a steeped kettle of tea upon it. "No sir, Jim. That's not my job. That's for the big boys, like yourself." She hoisted the tray and carefully walked past Silver and Jim. "Have fun! I'll be back when the Captain doesn't need me this evening. Don't get bored!"

Leaving the galley, Zara was careful not to let anything spill or tip over as she climbed the stairs, crossed the deck, and climbed a second set of stairs up to the Captain's quarters. Zarabeth breathed a sigh of relief as she knocked on the wooden door. She always dreaded the fact that she might run into Scroop, but this trip had been free of incident.

She could hear Amelia's steady tone from inside. "Come in."

After letting herself in, the girl carefully set the silver tray down on a side table set apart especially for Amelia's tea and coffee times.

The feline captain looked up from where she stood at her desk, which was littered with various maps, odd tools, and graphs. "Ah, thank you Zarabeth. I'm famished for a cup of tea."

Zara carefully poured milk, then tea into a delicate China cup before adding a lump of white sugar. She placed the cup on a saucer, along with one of her pastries and set it on a semi-empty part of the desk. Having finished this, Zara walked to the corner of the room and stood there patiently in silence, eyes on the floor.

A few minutes passed before the Captain finally sat down. Amelia let out a heavy sigh, slicked her red hair back into its normal shape, and picked up the cup of tea. Her long claws clinked against the delicate glass as she did. Looking up, she suddenly placed the cup back on its saucer. The tone of her voice was both surprised and sad, "Oh dear girl, please do sit down! We mustn't stand upon formality to such degrees. I'm not my father." The feline gestured for Zara to sit in a chair next to the desk.

Zara's cheeks grew hot as she approached the chair. "My apologies ma'am. I forgot."

Amelia's cat-eyes dilated and her ears drooped slightly, as they did when she became emotional. "Oh don't bother about it. Old habits die hard, as they say." She stirred her tea in a distracted way, as if she were about to say something else. After a while, when Zara was refilling her teacup, she managed to speak again. "Zarabeth, be honest with me," Amelia laughed slightly, "as if you've ever been otherwise. Are you happy?"

Zara finished preparing the second cup of tea before answering. She sat down, folding her hands in her lap nervously. "I'm happier now than I've ever been in my life. I hope you know, ma'am, it's all because of you."

"Oh tish-tosh. I only did what any other morally upright being would have done. I only wish that I could do more for you."

"If you'll pardon me for saying so, you've done more than I could have ever hoped for. There's no place that I'd feel more loved or safe, than under your authority and care."

Amelia smiled as her ears rose at what Zara said. "You feel so now, but there may come a time where you will say differently Miss Hartfit."

Zara smiled reassuringly. "Well at least for now, I am content."

The Captain straightened herself and regained her usual authoritative composure. "Well very good then. I no longer need your services this evening following dinner. You are free to go, Zarabeth."

After clearing the tea tray, Zara decided to rest in her room until dinner. She opened a door, beneath the steps to the Captain's room and descended a short flight of wooden stairs to a small room in the hull of the ship. The room consisted of a wooden bed frame with one large cushion as the mattress, a pillow, and an old quilt. In the corner was a small wardrobe which held her few articles of clothing. On the door was hung a misty mirror which worked only well enough to serve its purpose.

With a deflating sigh, Zara flopped down onto her bed. She lay there, in a completely un-animated way for a while, but she didn't sleep. She didn't have the calmness of mind to do so. Zara let out another sigh as she repeated Amelia's words, "Old habits die hard." The girl lazily ran her fingers through her wavy hair. "It's not habit, it's my life; and it's always going to be like this." She knew that it was foolishness to hope for otherwise.

Zara sat in her room, daydreaming, until the light outside began to fade.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

After dinner had been served, the dishes cleared and cleaned, Zara was free to do whatever she pleased for the rest of the evening. On different voyages, Zara usually went down to the galley to bake something, or to hear the spacers tell stories of their past adventures, mostly lies of course, but still entertaining. This night was different. Talking with Jim during lunch made her feel different. The way he talked about himself was so unfinished that she felt rising curiosity to know more about this James Hawkins.

As Zara closed the door to the state-room behind her, she looked about the deck bellow. The ship was quiet. "Everyone else must still be enjoying dinner," she thought.

There was a single figure on the deck below to the far side of the ship. Zara climbed down the wooden steps and slowly walked in the direction of the figure. As she drew closer, Zarabeth could see that it was Jim, just finished with cleaning the deck.

Jim leaned the mop and bucket up against the wall and stretched his aching limbs. Upon seeing Zara, Jim relaxed a bit.

Zara leaned against the wall next to the mop, "All finished I see. And how was the cabin boy's first day?"

Jim stretched his arms behind him before answering. "I used to do this kind of stuff for the inn, but this boat's a bit bigger than a dining room."

Morph was at Jim's feet in the shape of a small mop. The blob giggled as he flew to greet Zarabeth. He hiccuped, bubbles flying from his mouth as he mimicked, "bigger than a dining room!" Seeing that Jim was done, Morph decided to fly back to the galley to be with Silver.

The two teens walked to the port side of the ship to sit in the shrouds to talk.

It was beautiful from this view of the ship, nothing but blue and purple stardust clouds. After a few minutes of pointing out various planets and stars, Jim spoke up. "So, Zarabeth, you owe me an introduction."

Zara laid back on the thick ropes that supported her. She propped her hands behind her head before speaking. "My name is Zarabeth Jane Hartfit. I'm eighteen years old and I'm an orphan. My parents died from an influenza attack when I was four. I love anything that has to do with baking. It's my dream to go to pastry school or open my own shop, but that's all it'll ever be, a dream."

Jim rolled over so that he was on his side facing Zara. "So how do you know the Captain? I didn't think there were such things as cabin girls."

Zara likewise turned to face Jim. "Well you're right, there aren't. I'm sort of a maid-type-thing. I bring the Captain her tea and coffee, all her meals, and tidy up any room claimed as hers. Since the Captain graduated from the Academy, I've been touring with her on every voyage. You see, my parents worked for Amelia's family since before I was even born. After they both died, her family raised me until I could carry on the job my parents did. That's just a rough translation of how it all happened, but I'm good at what I do."

"What did you do when you worked for them?"

"Oh I did just about anything. I can cook, bake, clean, sew, garden, and on desperate occasions, I can even do a little plumbing."

Jim laughed as he replied, "That's quite the resume you've got!"

"It helps to keep me useful anyway."

"Well from what I've tasted, it seems like you're a great baker. You're old enough, and definitely smart enough. Why can't you quit this and go to school for it? Start your own business! I'd buy from you. Why does it have to stay a dream?"

Zara bit her lip nervously. She had to choose her next words carefully. "I can't exactly leave the work I do for Amelia."

"You under a contract or something?"

The girl avoided meeting Jim's gaze as she answered. "Ya, something like that." After a few minutes of staring out at nothing, Zarabeth sat up, and ran her fingers through her thick hair before asking, "So how does a boy like you, get involved in a voyage like this?" Zara knew that someone had a treasure map that was supposedly taking them all to Treasure Planet, the loot of a thousand worlds, Captain Flint's legendary secret hideout. Hardly any of the crew knew the reason for this expedition, but Zara wanted to see what Jim would say.

Jim looked warily over his shoulders before leaning close to Zara to whisper his reply. "Because you work for the Captain, I assume you know the real reason for this trip, so I trust telling you this." Jim leaned even closer to Zara's ear, to the point where his warm breath tickled her ear. "I'm the one who found the treasure map."

Zara's eyes shot open in shock. "How did you..."

Jim quickly interrupted the girl, "It's a long story, and too risky to tell ya out here. The Captain told us that she doesn't really trust this crew, but she has to so that she doesn't raise suspicion."

Zarabeth leaned back once more. "Well that explains a lot. She has seemed rather on edge since preparation started for this trip. And I don't blame her. Well, let's face it, most of the crew look like con-men anyway."

Jim was about to reply when he was interrupted by Silver calling from the entrance of the galley. "Jimbo! There be pots and pans a waitin' ya! Get a move on!"

Jim growled in frustration before hopping off of the ropes. "Well, duty calls."

Zara did likewise. "I should be getting ready for bed anyway. This was fun. I like talking to you."

Jim smiled as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I do too. Same time tomorrow?"

Zarabeth blushed slightly as she looked at the boards beneath her feet. "Sure. Same time tomorrow." What was this feeling? Zara's chest felt tight as her heart beat loudly. Trying to keep calm, Zara began walking back toward the Captain's quarters as she called over her shoulder, "Goodnight Jim! I'll see you in the morning."

She could hear Jim answer her as he walked toward the galley. "Night Zara."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Zarabeth sat bolt upright. Her breath ragged, she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. After affirming that she really was awake, Zara leaned her back against the wooden wall, hugging her knees close to her chest. "Just a dream. Just a dream. He's dead," she repeatedly whispered to herself as she rocked back and forth on her bed. Tears slowly escaped her eyes as she whispered to an invisible phantom. "Why can't you just leave me alone? Just let me be. Please."

After a few minutes, Zara had regained her composure. She wiped her eyes and looked about the room for a clue as to what time it was. From out the single window in her room, Zarabeth could see that it was probably an hour before she was supposed to wake up.

Knowing that there was no point in trying to fall asleep again, Zara opened her wardrobe to find what she'd wear. Like every day, the girl put on a pair of dark leggings, her knee-high leather boots, a loose white blouse, a long dark skirt which opened up in the front to reveal the leggings beneath, and a brown leather corset to finish it off. Zara enjoyed looking feminine, but also wearing clothes she could work in.

Being as quiet as possible, Zarabeth made her way out of the Captain's cabin with the intention of getting down to the galley for something hot to drink.

The air was slightly chilled as Zara tried to walk across the deck as quickly as possible. She was almost there when she nearly ran head first into Silver coming up the stairs.

The old cyborg spoke with surprise. "Zara! What you be doin' up this early in da mornin'?" The girl was about to reply when Silver spoke again. "Somethin' the matter lass? You look like you've been cryin'."

Zarabeth couldn't reply this time. She looked down at her feet silently. There was nothing she dreaded more than having people know if she'd been crying. It made her feel vulnerable.

Silver wrapped his normal arm about her shoulders, leading her down and into the kitchen. Zara sat on the counter while Silver made some tea for them. Morph, who had been floating about quietly, now nudge the girl reassuringly, cooing sorrowfully as he did.

Handing her a cup Silver spoke. "Was it da same nightmare you'd been tellin' me of?"

Zarabeth took a sip of the hot liquid in her hands. The smell alone was enough to calm her taught nerves. "It's almost always been the same one. The worst part about it is that it wasn't just a dream. At one time it was reality. I thought I'd be safe once he died, but his memory won't leave me alone. It's been three years. You'd think I'd get over it, but..." the girl's voice trailed off.

The cyborg rubbed the back of his neck. "T'ers no easy way ta heal from somethin' like that. I don't have words of wisdom ta give ya, but I can say dis much. Don't you think on it. What that man thought you were means nothin'. You are a beautiful, bright young lady, Zara. You are worth more than anyone could ever deserve. And I mean dat, lass."

Putting down her cup, Zara fell into Silver's warm embrace. "Thank you, Silver. It means a lot to me." Looking up into the cyborg's face, she added, "I know you'll always be my friend."

For a split second, Zara thought she detected a pained look in the cyborg's eye. But as soon as she noticed it, the look was gone. The girl shook her head, wondering if she'd just imagined it.

Silver cleared his throat as he let go of the girl. "Well, I'd best be seein' to da crew's breakfast. I'll be comin' round to try today's pastry after lunch, eh?"

Zara laughed at Silver's eagerness. "Oh I'm sure you'd never willingly miss it."

As Zara began to prepare the Captain's morning coffee pot and breakfast, she couldn't help but let her mind wander to the night before. The view of the sky as she and Jim sat in the ropes flashed in her mind. She sighed contentedly as she recalled the feeling she'd had while talking to him. It had felt like the easiest thing in the world. Zara felt a twinge of guilt in her chest thinking about how she couldn't be completely honest with him. "I hope I won't have to," she thought quietly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

The day went by just as the one before. Jim and Zara were able to talk during lunch and after dinner. Jim told Zara about his adventures on Montressor, riding his solar surfer through canyons and across plains, along with his many encounters with the robo-cops. Zara loved listening to Jim's stories. His world sounded colorful and full of life and adventure. If it weren't for him and Silver, Zara couldn't even imagine what she'd be doing on this trip.

The same routine went on for a span, a total of a month before the good times were marred.

Zara had just come out from the Captain's cabin. Dinner was over and Zara was headed over to the other side of the ship to find Jim.

She hadn't even gotten down the stairs before she was able to tell that something was up. On the far side of the mast, a few members of the crew were gathered together. They were making all kinds of noise, like that of an angry mob. At a running pace, Zarabeth suddenly noticed what all the fuss was about. There was Jim, suspended by his shirt collar five feet in the air, at the mercy of Scroop. The spider-crab had the cabin boy by his neck in one claw, and was drawing his other steadily closer to Jim's throat.

Zara burned with anger at what she saw. Boldness suddenly rose from the girl as she shouted into the mob. "Hey bonzabeast breath!"

The group fell silent as Scroop stopped what he was doing, turning to see who had shouted.

Zara assumed a confident and superior air as she entered the ring of crew members. She had to appear fearless even though her heart threatened to jump up into her throat. "Oh good, you know who you are." Zarabeth crossed her arms defiantly as Scroop glared down at her in distain. "What do you think you're doing? Put the cabin boy down!"

Scroop chuckled low in his throat. "And why sshhould I do that?"

"Because I doubt the Captain would enjoy wasting her time punishing you for starting a brawl on her ship. She doesn't take too kindly to troublemakers, but I suppose the brig has room for even you."

Jim flailed his legs in an attempt to get free. Trapped by Scroop's claw, Jim's yell came out in a strained sound. "Zara, no! Run!"

Scroop snarled as he turned toward one of the crew, a nine-foot, broad shouldered alien with four massive hands. "Hold thisss for me." Scroop tossed Jim in his direction. The cabin boy was restrained in the giant's grasp before he'd hardly hit the deck. Without turning around, Scroop answered the girl. "I don't take kindly to being threatened by anyone, essspecially not from a little ssscum-sucking slave's brat."

A mixture of shock and fear flooded Zarabeth's senses. "H-how did..."

Scroop's laugh was cruel and menacing. "I think it's time the Captain's pet learned some ressspect!"

The next instant was a blur of motion, sound, and pain. Scroop was a large red and black blur as Zara felt herself being knocked to her right side, pain shooting from her whole body as she hit the deck with a loud 'thud'. Her first instinct was to try to rise from the ground, but Zara's vision swirled about in incoherent pictures fading in and out of darkness. From behind and above her, she could hear muffled sounds; whoops, cheers, Jim's angry voice yelling. The left side of Zarabeth's face felt hot, like warm water was running down it, but there was an underlying pain which throbbed through her temples making her groan and squirm where she lay.

In a final attempt to sit upright, the girl made it to her hands and knees before dizzying shots of pain pulled her back down to the deck.

Then, Zara could make out the slow, sharp 'clicks' of Scroop's legs drawing closer and closer to where she lay. Just before the alien could get to her, Zara heard Jim's voice rise above all the other noise. "Don't touch her!"

Scroop's advancing came to a halt. Zara could faintly hear the sounds of the spider-crab's claws click open one by one. "Cabin boy." With eagerness, Scroop returned to his original prey, hoisting Jim back to where this had all begun. "Say goodbye, cabin boy."

Zara desperately reached out, whispering in a hoarse voice to stop Scroop. "Jim!"

Everything went black.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Safe. That's how Zarabeth felt. Swaddled in darkness, it seemed as though her consciousness would never stir. But mixed with the sweet darkness was a sound, a voice no less. The voice was familiar. It continually said but one thing, her name. "Zara. Zara."

The girl fought to regain control over the darkness. She had to know who was calling her. As she slowly felt herself coming to, she quickly regretted it. As she woke from her stupor, a wave of uncontrollable pain threatened to throw her back into the darkness from where her mind had just emerged. Zara waited, motionless, for a few seconds before realizing that it was no use. She was now fully conscious.

The girl slowly opened her eyes, being welcomed by an odd but comforting sight. Jim's face was looming about a foot away from Zarabeth's. Jim's face immediately relaxed as Zara attempted to smile. "Hey." The girl was startled by the grinding of her own voice.

Jim gave a half smile in reply.

Realizing that her head was resting in Jim's lap, Zara asked, "Where am I? What happened?" She cringed, "Ah, Scroop." Her eyes widened as she remembered. "Jim! Are you ok? Did he hurt you?" She tried to sit up, but quickly laid back down as her head throbbed in pain.

"Hey, hey calm down! I'm ok! Silver came right in time to save both our hides. Well, almost in time. Scroop really walloped you! But you're safe now. We're in your room. Silver's in the galley finding stuff to patch you up with. You're quite the sight right now." Jim bit his lip in frustration as he looked away. "I'm sorry you got hurt trying to protect me. But I'm also grateful that you stepped in when you did. Thanks."

Stealing Amelia's phrase, Zara replied, "I only did what any other morally upright being would have done." After a minute of silence something occurred to Zara. In a frantic voice she asked, "Does the Captain know?"

"Well, no, not exactly. Ya see, right after Silver stopped Scroop, Mr. Arrow came and threatened to punish him if there was any more brawling. Some of the crew were standing directly in front of you, so Arrow didn't see you and Silver hadn't either. It wasn't until the crew left that I brought you down here. Should she know?"

"No! I don't want her to know. She has enough on her mind, she doesn't need to be worrying about me like she would."

Jim looked doubtful, "But Zara, you can't do your job! You can't even sit up!"

"Don't get technical! I can't sit up now, but I have all night to feel better."

Jim looked skeptical. "Let's just wait to see what Silver thinks."

Zara closed her eyes, content to wait. Part of her wished that Silver would never come; her head in Jim's lap felt so perfect, so natural. She didn't want it to end.

After a while, Jim started getting fidgety. "Where is he? It's not that hard to get a couple of bandages!"

Jim had just finished speaking when Silver let himself in. His face looked frustrated, almost angry, but quickly relaxed when he saw the two teens. "Zara! How ya feelin'? T'was quite a hit yeh took der! I only wish I'd 'a been der to stop da scoundrel! But I'm a glad yer awake."

"Thanks Silver." Zara smiled as she tried to sit up again.

Silver scolded the girl as he took her shoulders. "Now lass, please. Just lay back and relax a bit whilst I fix yeh up. Could ya turn ta yer right side? Jimbo, help Zara. Slowly now. That's it. Now um, Jimbo, yeh may want ta offer yer hand ta da lass." Saying this, Silver uncorked a bottle of alcohol with his teeth.

Zara tried to tip her head to look at the cyborg. "Wait, why?"

"Well, I've got ta clean that there wound on yer head. Can't let dat get infected. But I'll a tell ya this much, it may hurt a wee bit. Ah, but we'd better get da blood off from yer neck and hair first. Here, Jimbo."

Silver soaked a clean rag in water and handed it to Jim. With the most careful and tender hands, Jim cleaned the dried blood from off the side of Zara's neck and ear before getting it as best he could out of her hair. Being careful not to touch it, the boy parted the hair away from the large gash above Zara's left ear so that Silver would have easy access to it.

Once he was finished, Zara willingly took the hand Jim offered as Silver poured some alcohol onto another piece of cloth. "Ready lass?"

Zara nodded her assent as she firmly shut her eyes. Sharp knives of pain pierced through her temples at the touch of the liquid. Zara gripped Jim's hand as she squirmed under the feeling. Silver then began to wipe out the gash. Covering her own mouth, Zara let out a small, muffled cry as the pain only increased. Then, when Zarabeth thought she couldn't bear any more, Silver lifted the cloth away.

"All done lass. It's only bleedin' a bit, but I'll be puttin' a bandage over it. Ok, let's set yeh upright."

Just then, Zara noticed she was still clinging to Jim's hand. She quickly let go as her cheeks grew hot in embarrassment. "Sorry Jim. Hope I didn't break your hand."

Jim smiled sweetly as he got ready to help the girl up. "Don't worry, I'm tougher than you may think. I will say though, you have an impressive grip."

Taking her by both shoulders, Jim helped prop Zarabeth against the wall while Silver tied a bandage around her head to stop the gash from bleeding out.

The old cyborg took a step back to look at his work. "Eh, not me best wrappin' job, but it'll do in a pinch. How do yeh feel Zara?"

The girl gently laid her hand over the wound. "Except, for the pounding in my head, I'm alright, thanks to you two."

Silver bowed in a theatrical flourish as he gathered up his things. "Tis me honor to aid a beautiful damsel in distress as yerself. I only wish i' t'weren't necessary." Silver was about to leave when he stopped himself. "Zara? Yeh look like yer frettin' over somethin'."

Zarabeth was looking down at her hands nervously. Her answer was low and troubled. "Silver, he knows, Scroop knows. He called me a slave's brat. I don't know how he found out." Tears threatened to cascade down from her eyes as she sat there. Zarabeth tried to let her hair fall down around her to hide her face from Jim's gaze.

Jim looked from Zara to Silver in confusion. "Wait, what does Scroop know?"

The old cyborg sighed, "Yeh didn't tell 'im."

Zara shook her head without a word, her eyes focused on her lap.

Clearing his throat Silver spoke to no one in particular. "I think I'd better leave you two alone. I'll be in da galley if either of ya be needin' me." And with that, Silver climbed the stairs to leave.

The room was quiet. Jim knew better than to push Zarabeth to speak. He patiently sat next to the girl in silence.

Zara suddenly felt frustrated with the bandage about her head. She fiddled with the knot before gingerly taking it off. She tested the gash with her finger and was relieved to find it dry.

Putting the bandage down next to her, Zarabeth finally spoke. "Jim, there's something I should tell you. I haven't been completely honest with you. Um..." Zara sniffed to keep the tears from cascading down her cheeks. She began laughing at herself. "Heh sorry. I laugh when I get nervous."

Jim didn't say anything, he just smiled comfortingly, worry behind his facade.

Zara heaved a sigh to urge herself on. "My parents didn't just work for Amelia's family...they were owned by them. My parents were slaves.

Almost fifty years ago, after the Empire beat down the Gunderians, slave trade was outlawed, which was that planet's main income. Eventually, the Gunderians found a loophole which allowed slaves to be sold to the wealthy under the pretext that they were "servants for life". Certain contracts were created to make this practice appear legal and almost unbreakable. My parents were refugees of that war and were later kidnapped and sold to Amelia's family.

Ten years into their service, I was born. In the contract, it defines any child born during service as property of the owners. I was born a slave.

After my parents died, the Captain's family raised me. They treated me like they treated Amelia. I thought that they loved me. Well, I knew Amelia loved me, I was a little sister to her, but when I turned ten, she left for the Academy. Her parents showed their true colors then."

Zara paused as she wiped her face. Her tears were now free flowing against her will. She looked up at the ceiling as she continued. "For four years, nothing I did was good enough. I tried to work hard and do my best, but they always found fault with me. At first, they only punished me verbally, but it was when my master started beating me that I snapped.

I tried running away so many times. Part of me thought that if Amelia knew what they were doing to me, she'd be able to take me away. But, I never got more than a few miles before I was caught." At this point, Zarabeth turned so that her back faced Jim. She pulled the hair away from her neck to reveal a letter 'S' at the base of it. "After running a few times, he branded me so that everyone knew what I was, that I was their property. He knew I was ashamed of it."

Jim lightly traced his finger along the lines of the letter, his heart sinking with her every word. He then noticed a white line which ran from her neck to disappear below her shirt collar. Realizing what it was, Jim asked gently, "May I?"

Zara nodded simply as she loosened the back of her shirt to reveal the skin covering her shoulders.

Jim's jaw dropped slightly at what he saw. Zara's shoulders alone were covered in scar after scar from years of being beat, whipped, and slashed. Jim didn't know what to say. Anger burned in the pit of his stomach as he envisioned the heartlessness of this man. Jim sighed as he tenderly touched the ridges covering her skin. "Oh Zara..."

The girl began fixing her shirt as she continued. "A month after Amelia graduated, her father was killed in a bar fight. It was cruel of me, but all I could think of was that I'd finally find some rest. I thought that Amelia would come home and she could free me, but there was a problem. In her father's will, Amelia inherited me. Those stupid Gunderians made the contracts so that only a male authority or master could free a life servant. Even if Amelia tried to free me, I'd eventually be returned to her because of the contract. I could never go to school or get a job until I was properly freed. But Amelia is unmarried. So I go on as her slave."

Zara faced Jim, smiling slightly now. "Don't get me wrong, Amelia has been so kind and loving. She treats me better than most maids are treated. It's just that I've been a slave my whole life and I've been so close to freedom. I'm trapped, Jim. And I don't see a way out... So that's that."

Jim sat there for a few minutes as he tried to process what he'd just heard. A single question rang through his mind louder than any other. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

Zara bit her lip. She knew he'd ask, but she still didn't have a reasonable answer. "I could make up a lot of excuses, but honestly I don't know. I know that's not an answer though."

Jim laughed to himself, "Sounds about like an answer I'd give."

"I guess I was just embarrassed." Zara put her feet in front of her on the bed, wrapping her arms tightly around them. "I've always had problems with trust, Jim. You can guess why, I'm sure. I trust Amelia because I know she cares, I trust Silver because he listens and understands, and I trust you but I'm not a hundred percent sure why."

Jim rubbed the back of his neck as he smiled in contentment. He thought he wasn't going to ask, but his curiosity got the best of him. "So how did Silver find out?"

Zarabeth began running her fingers through her hair, careful to avoid the gash. "Sometimes, I get nightmares; nightmares about being punished. Being beat, cut, whipped; I hate them. Even though I know he's dead, my mind is still afraid that somehow he'll find me. One night, I couldn't sleep anymore. Silver found me in the galley crying. I told him everything and he was very comforting and sweet. It's been nice having someone to turn to. And now I have you too."

Jim stood up and stretched his sore limbs. As soon as he was standing in front of Zarabeth, the boy stretched his arms out wide beside him.

Zara looked quizzically at the cabin boy.

Jim smirked as he replied to the girl's odd look. "You look like you need a hug."

Zara laughed as Jim helped her stand up before pulling her into his arms. Zara's face burned as she felt Jim's arms around her, her head against his chest. She was glad he couldn't see her blush.

They stood there hugging for a few seconds before Jim held Zara at arm's length to speak. "I want you to promise me something. I'll stay out of trouble if you promise to let me do the saving. I know I haven't done a very good job yet, but I'll repay you for keeping me alive today."

Zarabeth laughed as she made her answer. "Fine, I promise to not get in the way again. So now, I'm relying on you to save my skin if I end up on the other end of Scroop's claw."

"I'll beat the pulp out of that spider-psycho."

The two teens laughed as Jim drew Zara in for one more hug. "You gonna be ok if I leave now?"

Zara drew away as she sat back on her bed. "I'm fine now, don't worry. It's gonna take a lot more than dizziness and a headache to off this girl."

Jim nodded as he opened the door to leave. "Well goodnight then. Sweet dreams. And I mean that."

Zara picked the bandage up from beside her and laughed. "Thanks Jim. You too."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

"Woah whoah! Hey slow down! Zara, you're gonna kill yourself at this pace. I'll carry this how 'bout?"

The incident with Scroop had only been the night before, but to Zarabeth it already felt like an eternity. She had been preparing Amelia's morning coffee and breakfast tray. As she tried to lift the heavy silver set, her head began to throb again and her vision started to blur. Luckily, Jim had been right there to steady the tray, putting it back on the counter.

Zara let Jim guide her to sit at one of the wooden benches. Head in her hands, Zarabeth grunted in frustration. "Jim, I'm going to do it. I can't let Amelia know."

Jim sat on the table above her. "Would it be so bad if she knew? You could take a couple of days off. I'm sure the Captain can make her own coffee, and if not, Silver or I could do it."

Zara had to smile as she met Jim's eyes. "You're probably right. I just don't want Scroop to win."

Jim sighed in frustration as he leaned down, his face now only inches from Zara's. "Zara, he knocked you in the head! Anybody would understand why you need to recover even a little."

After a minute, Zara sighed in resignation. "Fine. You win."

"Good! Then I'll be taking Captain Amelia her morning coffee now. And you'll be going down to your room to rest. Silver and I can check up on you." Jim stood to do as he said when Zarabeth grabbed his arm. "Wait, I need to come with you to tell her. I don't really trust you to tell her the right way."

Jim closed the door to the state-room behind him. He and Zara had just finished speaking with the Captain. Jim sighed in evident annoyance as he descended the stairs to the deck.

Following behind, Zara spoke up. "What?" It was obvious that the gesture was aimed at her.

"Quite the performance you gave her in there."

"What are you talking about?"

Jim hoisted the silver tray he was holding level to his shoulders, his face wearing a comical grin. Jim raised the pitch of his voice as he spoke. "I'm not feeling well. It's nothing that won't be remedied with some rest. It's just a bad headache and some dizziness." Jim's expression and posture went back to normal as he stared at Zarabeth.

Realizing that Jim was mimicking her, Zara crossed her arms defiantly. "I am though! That's all she needed to know!"

Jim drew his face very close to Zara's. "You left out the fact that you're weak, black out a lot, have a large gash on the side of your head, and are very very delirious."

"D-delirious! My logic is perfectly sound, thank you! It's for Amelia's sake that I don't tell her! She has enough on her mind without worrying over me or thinking that someone like Scroop might...might mutiny or something! You're just lucky that she insisted on not having you fill in for me!"

Neither of the teens noticed that by now, the deck had gone a little quieter as they argued.

"Why should you care if she's worried? What happens to her is her problem, not yours!"

Wanting to end this discussion, Zara walked to the door beneath the stairs before turning to answer Jim. "It is my problem, but it's more than that. That is my life." Zara slammed the door behind her without another word, leaving Jim above deck in what was left of his fuming.

Once in her room, Zara's frustration got the best of her. Zarabeth kicked her wardrobe low and hard but quickly regretted it as her head began to throb and pound in pain again. She hated the hot tears that streamed uncontrolled down her face as she climbed into her bed. Pulling the quilt over her head, Zara let loose every emotion that was pent-up: anger, frustration, discouragement, hurt. Exhausted physically and emotionally, the girl's breathing eventually steadied as she drifted off to sleep.

After making his way down into the empty galley, Jim roughly set down the tray he was holding. The cabin boy plopped down atop one of the tables, mumbling this and that as Silver came down the steps.

The old cyborg looked rather pleased with himself, hoisting a sack of potatoes to an empty counter. As he began to peel them, he called out to Jim behind him. "When's da wedding?"

Jim pulled the hair up from his eyes. "What?"

"Yeh and Zara already sound like an ol' married couple. Not a bad catch, laddie."

Jim grunted as he covered his face with his hands. Ignoring Silver's last sentence, he asked,"You heard that?"

Silver laughed as he turned to face the cabin boy. "Oh no, i' t'weren't just me, Jimbo. I'd guess 'alf da crew heard yeh two, da way yeh were havin' at it."

"Great."

"If i' be any consolation ta ya lad, I t'ink yeh both were right, ta some degree."

Jim looked quizzically at the cyborg. "What makes you say that?"

Silver abandoned his potatoes to sit on the bench below Jim. He looked down at his lap, tapping his fingers together as he spoke. "Jimbo, on one hand, you are right. Pride is partly what's been keepin' Zara da way she be. She ain't as strong as she wants, an dats hard for da lass ta accept, but she fakes her way t'rough. She does need ta learn dat she can't be responsible for da Cap'n's feelin's and troubles. But, did it ever occur ta ya that Zarabeth acts da way she does because she loves Amelia? She be da only t'ing close ta family dat Zara's got. Not ta mention dat bein' a slave, da lass knows no other way of livin' than for the comfort and well-being of her master." Silver clapped the boy on the shoulder as he stood up. "Ya shouldn't beat yerself up, lad. But ya can't blame da lass either." With that, Silver returned to his potato peels as he left Jim alone with his thoughts.

Jim sat there silently, listening to the clinking and clanking of Silver's bionic arm working away. The more he sorted things out in his mind, the more frustrated with himself he became. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," Jim whispered to himself as he held his head in his hands. "Gah! I'll be back, Silver. I gotta go apologize."

Jim was halfway to the steps before Silver could yell out, getting the boy's attention. "Ah ba-ba-ba! Jimbo! There be work fer ya ta do!"

Jim ignored Silver's reply as he was almost up the steps. "I have to do this first!"

"Belay that! Now get yer bum back down 'ere! Jimbo, Zara ain't workin' 'cause she needs her rest. So let 'er rest! You, sir, can scrub da deck till it be lunch. T'en yeh can go 'pologize. Ya get me?"

Jim rolled his eyes as he came back down the stairs. The cabin boy saluted Silver in an exaggerated flourish of unwilling submission. "Yes sir."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

"I have to get away, I have to make it," Zara thought as she ran along the cobblestone street beneath her feet. There was nothing but this street. Everything else around Zarabeth was dark and misty. She looked fearfully over her shoulder to see if she was being pursued. Suddenly, Zara's eye caught what she feared most. A figure was racing after her.

"I have to make it!" The girl's breathing was now labored and uneven. The faster Zara tried to run, the slower she seemed to go. Without warning, the cobblestone street ended. Where there uses to be mist, there were now four solid rock walls. She was trapped.

"No! He can't get me!" Zara began to climb, but every time she found a foothold, it would suddenly disappear from beneath her. Zarabeth was frantic now. "No, no, no! I can't go back!"

Something strong latched on to the helpless girl's ankle, pulling her down from the rock. Zara landed flat on her back, kicking and flailing as she lay there. She looked up and met with the cold feline eyes of her master. His golden eyes burned with anger, wrenching away any courage Zara had left.

The man raised his clawed hand above his head, threatening to bring it down on his slave. "How dare you run from me you little wench!" The cat's booted foot struck Zara firmly in the stomach, rolling her closer to the wall.

Zara's desperate cries for mercy were caught in her throat as she clung to her stomach in pain.

"No more. No more! That'll be the last time you ever run from me!"

Zara's scream was drowned out into sudden darkness. She fought against the hands that tried to drag her away. "Let me go! No! Please!"

The arms that grabbed at her wrists and hair now enveloped her whole body as she gasped for breath. It started shaking her violently and calling her name. But the voice now changed. It was no longer her master's. Zarabeth let out one more desperate scream as her whole world burst into light.

Zara opened her eyes, tears streaming from them, as she looked around frantically for her master. Two arms were firmly wrapped around her from behind. Zara struggled to get away from whoever it was. She managed to spin herself around in the person's arms to face them. Zara had her hand raised to strike when she saw who it was.

"Jim!" Without hesitation, Zara threw her arms around the boy. Zara's body shook with adrenaline as she realized that she was in her room aboard the Legacy.

Jim enveloped Zarabeth in his embrace, stroking her hair and talking to try to soothe her. "Hey, hey. It's ok. You're safe now. Sshhh. You're ok. I'm here. No one's gonna hurt you."

Zara collapsed, burying her face against Jim's chest, unable to stop the flow of tears. "Oh, Jim. He was-I couldn't. Oh."

Jim held Zara even closer. "I'm not going anywhere."

The two stayed like this for a long time before Zarabeth's sobs began to fade. Eventually, she stopped shaking and the tears finally stopped falling.

It was dark in the room before Zara finally sat up. "Thank you, Jim. I'm ok now."

Jim rubbed his hand tenderly over her back. "You sure?"

Zara nodded in reply. She looked around the room in surprise as she realized something. "What time is it?"

Jim swung his legs over the side of the bed to sit beside Zarabeth. "Well, I came by around lunch to see if you wanted some, but you were asleep. So I came back just after dinner and found you thrashing around and crying. I'm sorry if I startled you when you woke up."

Zara propped her elbows on her knees, cradling her forehead in her hands. "No, I'm glad you did. I just didn't quite know where I was when I woke up. Thank you."

"This is probably a stupid question, but are you hungry at all? It's around nine right now, but I could still heat something up for you."

Zara shook her head. "Not hungry for real food anyway. But I wouldn't say no to something sweet or chocolate. Wanna go to the galley to hunt around with me?"

Jim smiled as he stood up, offering his hand to help Zara up. "I'd love to."

The kitchen was empty and dark except for the two lamps which always burned at the sides of the kitchen and the large red coals of the cookstove. After brightening the room a bit, Zarabeth and Jim managed to find some small chunks of chocolate to snack on. After positioning themselves atop one of the wooden tables Jim was the first to speak. "Zara, the real reason I wanted to come find you after lunch was to apologize. I'm sorry for how I acted this morning. I wasn't thinking and I hurt you because of it. I'm sorry."

Zara looked down at her lap and smiled. "Ya know, I was waiting to apologize to you. I realized that I was acting in pride and that I was being selfish. I never got a chance to thank you for all you've done to help me today. So, I forgive you, but I in turn ask for your forgiveness too."

Jim laughed as he replied. "I forgive you." The boy couldn't help but keep laughing.

Zara, confused, asked, "What's so funny?"

Jim coughed to clear his throat before replying. "Silver was right. He came to me after this morning saying that we looked like an old married couple fighting. Now I'm sure that's how we looked."

Zara looked away smiling, glad that the room was dim. Jim wouldn't be able to see how darkly she was blushing. "Quite the guy Silver." When Zara looked up, she was immediately caught by Jim's gaze. How long had he been looking at her?

Jim reached out to Zara's face, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. Jim's answer was only a little above a whisper, as if talking to himself. "He also said you were quite a catch. He's right."

No matter how hard she tried, Zara couldn't tear her eyes from Jim's. Her own voice came out as a whisper, "Jim." Their faces were only inches apart now.

Jim continued speaking in a hushed tone. "Zara, how can one girl be so wonderful, so beautiful, so...so perfect. How could I ever hope to deserve that? I couldn't. But I'd be a fool not to try."

Jim barely managed these last words before his lips met hers. Pure ecstasy filled Zara, her mind numb with happiness. The kiss lasted only a moment, but in that moment, words between them which had never been spoken, spoke for themselves. Neither of them had to say it. They both knew it. They were in love.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

Two weeks had passed. Zarabeth's healing was fairly quick and soon she was back doing her job. Days blurred together as each seemed identical.

Nothing new or exciting happened, but Jim and Zara enjoyed the monotony. Each day, the two got to spend the evening together for as long as Jim could get out of Silver's chores. Doing nothing in particular, Jim and Zarabeth enjoyed watching the sky from the shrouds, sitting in the longboats below deck, and talking about anything and everything.

For Zara, since the night Jim had kissed her, the whole world seemed to shine. Everything was beautiful and warm. Even simply catching Jim looking at her set Zara's heart ablaze. To love and be loved back was something she'd never experienced before, but the joy she'd felt in the past weeks was enough for a lifetime.

Jim and Zara were sitting in the observation extension of the deck just after dinner. Jim and Silver had been testing one of the longboats earlier that afternoon. The cabin boy was telling Zara how exhilarating it was to fly it, and how he even maneuvered them through the tail of a comet.

Zara laughed as she ruffled Jim's hair. Tiny sparkly flecks of dust came pouring from where she rubbed. "Well that explains all the sparkles!"

"What?! I thought I got them all off!" Jim sat forward, frantically running his fingers through his hair, trying to extract the last of the dust.

Zara held her sides, trying to control her laughter. Jim really was a funny sight. "Jim, Jim, it's gone! You're good now! Besides, I think it suits you."

Jim scrunched his nose at her, pretending to be irritated. Jim drew his face closer to Zara's. "You're too cute, ya know that?"

Zarabeth smiled, their foreheads touching now. "I love you too."

Jim's eyes closed as he leaned in to kiss her. But before he could, Zara clamped one hand over his mouth. "Hey! Not out here! There are people on deck!"

Jim removed Zarabeth's hand from his face as he replied. "Am I really gonna have to wait to kiss you again till after this trip?"

Zara bit her lip as a thought suddenly struck her. Her voice sounded distracted as she answered. "Yeah, maybe."

Jim immediately noticed the change in Zarabeth's expression. "What's wrong?"

The girl looked off into the misty pink and blue sky. "I just...had a thought." Zara looked back at Jim, taking his hand in hers. "Jim, what are we going to do after we get back from this trip?"

Jim's face stiffened. After a minute of silence, Jim began rubbing the back of his neck. "C-can't we think about that when we get back, or in a few months when we're on our way home?"

Zara swallowed hard before answering. "Will the question be any easier then? Jim, until I'm free, I'm bound to Amelia. If she has another voyage after we get back, I may not see you for another six months." Zara's voice dropped as she finished.

Jim leaned forward, elbows against his knees, pinching the bridge of his nose in concentration. He mumbled something that Zara couldn't quite hear.

"Jim?"

"There's gotta be a way."

"A way?"

Jim looked intensely into Zara's eyes. "A way to get around that stupid contract; a way to set you free!"

Zara heaved a sigh. "Jim we've tried, Amelia and I. Until she's married so that her husband could set me free, it can't be done." Zara tucked a stray hair away from her face. "The only other way is if someone else bought me who could set me free, but that costs a lot, and there's no way someone would want to to buy me just to let me go."

Suddenly, Jim broke out in a relieved smile. "Zara! That's it!"

The girl looked rather confused, not understanding Jim's revelation. "What do you mean?"

Jim's smile only grew as he cupped Zara's face with his hands. "Where we're going, I'll have more than enough! Don't you see? After this I could buy you. I could set you free."

Zarabeth drew in a sharp breath as she realized what Jim meant. She lowered Jim's hands from her face as she thought aloud. "You mean-I could-you will-Oh Jim!" The girl was overwhelmed with a sense of love as she threw her arms about Jim. "You'd do that for me?"

His face buried in Zara's hair, Jim replied. "I'd do anything for you." Jim held the girl at arm's length.

Zara felt her cheeks redden slightly as she sat there, enveloped in Jim's sweet gaze.

After a few minutes, Jim was the first to break their silence. "Now would it be alright if the hero kissed his girl?"

Zara stared down at her lap as she laughed. She took a quick look at the deck before replying. "No one will see us if we do it now."

Jim lovingly stroked the girl's cheek as he leaned forward.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

Suddenly, the whole ship shook with one violent jerk. Zara felt herself losing her balance as the wooden railing behind her threatened to give way. Zarabeth let out a cry of alarm as she began to tumble backwards. But then she felt Jim's strong arm wrap around her waist, pulling her back to safety.

The whole sky changed from pink to a burnt orange and the air felt hot.

No matter where they were, everyone came on deck to see what had happened.

Mr. Onus, the ship's lookout was the first to sight the issue. "Capteeen! The staaar!"

Just off the starboard side of the Legacy, a large star had just exploded, flames billowing from its sides, chunks of its broken mass flying in all directions.

The dog-man, Doctor Doppler, was the next to yell out, "The star Permusus; it's gone supernova!"

Captain Amelia began shouting orders, with Mr. Arrow relaying them, as the crew scrambled to obey. "Evasive action Mr. Turnbuckle! Make sure lifelines are good and tight! Men, secure those sails! Shoot down that debris!"

Jim quickly pulled Zara over to the main mast, tying a thick rope securely about her waist before putting on his own.

After giving the girl's hand a reassuring squeeze, Jim hurried to secure the sails at the front of the ship.

Zara stood blankly by the mast, not sure of what to do. In the three years she'd flown with the Captain, nothing like this had ever happened. She looked up to where Amelia stood beside the navigator, Mr. Turnbuckle. She always looked so calm, even under the worst of pressure. "What on earth can I do?" Zara asked herself as she looked around, totally at a loss.

Suddenly, the girl was thrown to her knees, pushed over by one of the aliens who'd been manning a laser cannon behind her. Zara looked behind her to see what he was running from. Her jaw dropped at what she was met with.

An enormous chunk of the burning star, twice the size of the ship, was slowly headed straight for them.

Zarabeth couldn't tear her gaze away from the smoldering brimstone which rolled ever closer, its heat radiating from afar. But, as the girl watched, the fraction suddenly changed direction to head backward, away from the helpless ship.

From above, Mr. Onus began frantically yelling. "Capteeen! Loook!"

All at once, everyone could see what was happening. Where the star had just exploded, a swirling black blob seemed to pull the debris back into itself.

Doctor Doppler's voice was strained as he called out. "It's devolving into a black hole!"

Zara stared in complete shock at the black mass which seemed to be pulling them in too. One thought singularly rang through her mind. "We're gonna die."

Sails now secure, most of the crew were back on the deck, staring blankly into the void which they were headed for.

A voice behind them caught their attention. "We're being pulled in!"

Zara looked up to the helm just in time to see Mr. Turnbuckle thrown to the deck, the wheel spinning out of control. With instant reflexes, Amelia forced the wheel to cease its spinning. "Oh no you don't!"

From the bowels of the black hole, a large wave of flames and gas came billowing forth. The force it hit the ship with caused it to creak and jolt under the impact.

Zara clung to the mast in front of her to keep from falling over, Jim doing the same as he came up beside her.

Zarabeth looked back at Amelia. She and the Doctor were calling back and forth to each other as Amelia's ears suddenly perked up with an idea.

Mr. Arrow called up to her, "All sails secure ma'am!"

The Captain raised her voice to answer. "Good man! Now release them immediately!"

Mr. Arrow stood there in confused shock before regaining composure. "You heard her men! Release those sails!"

Grumbling, the crew took action to obey.

Zara looked over at Jim just as he began to climb the shrouds again to help.

Amelia called out after the cabin boy to stop him. "Mr. Hawkins! Make sure all lifelines are secure!"

Zara watched as Jim came back, giving each lifeline surrounding the mast a firm tug, making sure none would get loose enough to come undone. "Lifelines secure Captain!"

The force of a second wave sent Zara back to her knees. She felt a firm hand grab her arm, pulling her up, steading her. Zara looked up into Jim's face. He looked so collected and calm. The girl couldn't help but stare. Jim looked so handsome, his hair blowing wildly about his face, his eyes glowing with the orange light which surrounded them.

The ship slowly began to tip as it was pulled closer to its demise. Delbert's voice yelled across the ship as the last of the sails were finally let loose. "The last wave! Here it comes!"

Amelia, still at the helm, called out to her terrified crew. "Hang onto your lifelines gents, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

Everyone scrambled to find something to cling to as the ship continued to tip backward.

Turning her to face the mast, Jim pinned himself protectively over Zara, clinging to the wood around her. Silver came from behind Jim, extending his large body to likewise cover the two teens, his mechanical arm firmly locked around Jim and Zara.

Zara turned her head to look at Jim. He was looking directly at her, a mixture of fear and love in his eyes. He tried to smile reassuringly as his gaze met hers. Closing his eyes, Jim pressed his lips to Zara's cheek. Zara turned back to face the mast, Jim's head resting protectively on her shoulder, his face touching hers. Zara took in the feeling of Jim's warmth against her cheek. One thought continued to press in her mind, sad but sweet. "I'm going to die in Jim's arms."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

A bright light surrounded the ship as the last wave came shooting up from the depths of the black hole. The loosened solar-sails, suddenly filled with heat and light, pushed the ship back into life.

Zara clung to the mast in front of her, the wood splintering beneath her nails. She could feel Jim pushing even more firmly against her as his feet threatened to give out under the force.

The power from the final wave hurdled the Legacy back into friendly blue and purple dusted space as the black hole disappeared behind them.

Zara slowly opened her eyes as the ship ceased its jolting. She felt Silver and Jim's grips loosen around her until she was free. Timidly looking around, Zara saw no black hole or hurdling brimstone.

The crew cheered in relief as they all gathered on deck near the mast.

Zara let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as she relaxed. She turned to Jim, throwing her arms about his neck, relief evident in her voice. "We-we made it!"

Jim laughed into Zara's neck. "Ya, we did."

Amelia resumed her authoritative stance, returning the helm to Turnbuckle. She cracked a small smile as she observed the crew rejoicing. "All hands accounted for Mr. Arrow?"

No reply.

With Jim's arms about her shoulders from behind, Zara twisted in his embrace to look for the officer.

The sharp, unmistakable clicking of Scroop's legs came through the crowded crew members, a three cornered hat in his claws. Coming up to the Captain, stopping just below the stairs, the spider-crab announced, "I'm afraid Mr. Arrow has been lost." He reverently handed the officer's hat to Amelia.

Pain flooded through her feline eyes as she accepted the hat. Looking it over, her ears drooped as her gaze fell upon Scroop once more.

Scroop lowered his head as he continued. "His lifeline was not secure." The alien turned his head, directing his piercing gaze at Jim.

Zara looked up at Jim as he lowered his arms in shock. His voice sounded confused and hurt. "No. I checked them all!"

Everyone watched as Jim pushed through the crowd of spacers to get to where the lifelines had been tied.

Zara saw, just as everyone else did, that one peg was empty of its rope. She stiffened in shock as she unconsciously raised her hand to her mouth.

Jim's body froze at what he saw. His voice came out first as a whisper, then raised itself to be heard by everyone. "I-I checked them all. They were secure. I swear!"

Zara turned to look at the Captain. Amelia's face looked pained, angry, and unsure of what to do as she fixed her gaze on the cabin boy. Finally regaining some of her composure, Amelia cleared her throat before speaking. "Mr. Arrow was...a fine spacer. Finer than any of us could hope to be. But he knew the risks, as do we all. Resume your posts. We carry on." Without another word, the Captain slowly retreated into her quarters.

After the spacers had dispersed, Zara saw that Jim was still facing the mast. Unsure of what to do, Zarabeth walked timidly over to where he stood, his back to her. The girl laid a tender hand on his shoulder. "Jim? It wasn't your fault."

No response.

Zara walked around to face the boy. His eyes were firmly shut. Trying to read his face, Zara couldn't be sure whether he was angry, sad, confused, or all three. Trying to get his attention, Zara spoke again. "I saw you tighten all the lines. Jim, it couldn't have been because of you."

Jim's voice was hoarse and low. "Try telling that to your Captain."

Zara couldn't stand it anymore. "Jim look at me." She placed her hand firmly on the side of his face. "You're not to blame. No one can be, because no one knows for sure... So please open your eyes."

Jim slowly met Zarabeth's gaze. His eyes were glassy, ready at any moment to spill over with tears. "Zara, I screwed up. If it wasn't my fault, then who's could it have been? Huh? That was my job. My job! And I-I ahh!" Jim pulled away from Zara's hand, running toward the crew's quarters below deck without another word.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

Suddenly alone, Zara was unsure of what to do. She didn't feel hurt, she felt lost. "I need a place to think," she thought as she walked down and into the galley. To her relief, it was empty. She aimlessly made her way to the pantry closet, thinking it would be a nice place to have some peace and quiet. Once inside, Zara left the door open only a crack so that she didn't lock herself in.

Settled among the shelves and sacks of food, Zarabeth let out a deflating sigh. She knew that Jim just needed some time to think things through. It wasn't his fault, Zara was sure of that. She just hoped that he'd see that too.

The girl slowly closed her eyes. She took in the feeling of being swaddled in the warm darkness, sitting completely still in it.

Something suddenly brought Zara out of her lifeless state; a sound. She thought she'd just heard a voice. And then, a shadow passed over, blocking the fine light that came through the space of the slightly opened closet. Now Zara was sure she could make out several voices.

Careful not to make a sound, Zarabeth repositioned herself onto her hands and knees, peeking timidly out the cracked door. Inside the galley, almost the entire alien crew was gathered, save Silver and the little look-out Onus, who she knew was on watch. "What on earth?" the girl thought as she inspected the unattractive crowd of spacers.

Scroop's voice was the first to make a coherent sentence that Zara could hear. "There'sss hardly any of them left. I'm getting tired of waiting."

"We are more than ready to move now!" another said.

"But we must be careful. We can't lose the treasure."

"We've worked too hard to give it up."

Similar comments were made for a few minutes until everyone began speaking at once, making it impossible for Zara to pick out much else. One thing was clear, however. The crew knew about the treasure. They were obviously planning some sort of mutiny. Then, these men are pirates! Did that mean that one of the crew caused Mr. Arrow's death?

Zara unconsciously let out a gasp as she put the pieces together. She had to warn the Captain!

Suddenly, the room went very quiet as Scroop spoke. "Sshhh. Did anyone elssse hear that?"

Realizing her mistake, Zara tried to climb behind one of the barrels against the wall to hide. Too late. The closet burst into light as Scroop flung its door completely open. His face twisted into an evil smirk as he reached his enormous claw out to grab her. "We have a little ssspy on our handsss."

Zara frantically looked around for something to use as a weapon. Grabbing a large glass jar with both hands, Zarabeth flung it as hard as she could at Scroop. The alien barely dodged the container as it shattered against the opposite wall, its contents flying every which way.

Scroop's foggy eyes glared at Zara, his voice grinding as he spoke. "You little ssslave. Now you're really gonna get it."

Zara kicked and squirmed as she tried to avoid Scroop's grasp, crawling backwards as she did. She began to panic as she felt the cold wooden wall behind her, realizing she had nowhere else to move.

Scroop, seeing his window to take action, held the girl firmly against the wall with one claw to keep her from moving.

Zara could feel Scroop's other claw dig into her skin as he grabbed her under her right arm. She cringed as the alien hoisted her up off the ground, the weight of her own body making her skin stretch painfully under Scroop's grasp. With one swift motion, Zara felt Scroop fling her helplessly into the middle of the galley. Zara landed hard on her back, her whole world swirling slightly above her. She didn't have time for her vision to clear before hands, tentacles, and claws started pulling her this way and that. The groups' mob-like sounds confused Zara's senses as she tried to focus.

Zara struggled to regain control of her own body, but by the time she was able to focus, she found herself lying atop one of the wooden dining tables, surrounded on all sides by the ugly faces of the alien crew. Zarabeth used every ounce of strength she had struggling to get free, but her arms and legs were firmly pinned to the table.

Just then, the girl realized that she'd been so frightened before that she hadn't even thought to call for help. Zara opened her mouth to scream, but she suddenly felt something cold and sharp being pressed to her throat.

She couldn't see who was holding the knife, but whoever it was spoke as he pressed the blade even harder against her skin. "One sound, and you'll be breathin' through your neck!"

It didn't take much more convincing for Zara to lie still.

The group had now quieted down. The pirates looked at each other, obviously at a loss of what to do with the girl. Scroop was the first to give orders. "Ssset her upright. Find sssomething to tie her handsss. Keep that point on her. Can't have the little wench alerting anyone."

Zara resisted, but was pulled to a sitting position as her hands were painfully bound together behind her back. The knife at her throat forced her to be compliant.

One of the aliens shoved Zara so that her back was now against the galley wall. The girl tried to keep calm, taking in even breaths, but she couldn't slow the racing of her heart.

Scroop chuckled low under his breath as he finished speaking to a small group of the pirates. He slowly clicked his way next to the table Zara was sitting on. "Alright ssslave girl, where does the cat hide the treasure map?"

Zara narrowed her eyes as she made her answer. She poured as much venom into each word as she could. "No idea, and even if I knew, why would I tell you?"

Scroop hissed in irritation, nodding to the rhino-shaped pirate holding the knife.

Zara gasped in pain as the man pulled her hair, yanking her head back. He held her head like this, sliding the cold blade teasingly over her white neck, not using enough pressure to break the skin. The girl shuddered as she felt the knife glide across her throat.

Scroop spoke again. "You'll tell usss, because if you don't, Mr. Regulus' hand might just ssslip."

Zarabeth's voice trembled slightly as she replied. "Threatening my life will do you no good. Kill me and the others will be alerted of your treachery. Would you really risk Flint's trove for the sake of revenge on one girl?"

Scroop's eyes narrowed as he growled in frustration. Losing control of himself, Scroop began yelling down at Zara. "Where'sss the map?! You'll tell me or I'll-"

Boldness suddenly welled up inside Zara as she yelled back at the spider-crab. "I'll be dead on this table before I ever tell you where it is!"

Scroop's face hovered menacingly above the girl, his eyes filled with rage. His voice was now low and forceful. "I'm gonna make you bleed for your wordsss. Sssoon, you'll be begging to tell me everything I want to know."

Zara's reply was cold and firm. "I'm no stranger to pain Mr. Scroop. Do what you will, but I won't budge."

The alien chuckled evilly as he turned his back to the girl. "Mr. Regulusss, do what-"

Before Scroop could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the sound of someone coming slowly down the stairs. The person walked with an obvious limp as they clomped on the wooden steps.

Zara instantly knew who it was and let out a whisper in relief, "Silver." She was quickly silenced again by the steel being pressed even more firmly against her skin. "He will save me," Zara thought as she dare let a smile form on her lips.

Once in the galley, Silver vacantly looked about the room full of people. He stopped once his eye fell upon Scroop, furry evident in his shaking body. "Wha t'in da blue blazes was dat?! Ya wanta blow da whole mutiny before it's time?! Disobey my orders again Mr. Scroop, like dat stunt ya just pulled wit' Mr. Arrow, and so help me, you'll be joinin' him!"

Zara felt herself deflating in the grasp of the alien behind her. Even the knife at her neck suddenly meant nothing. Silver was one of them.

Rage filled up any sorrow Zarabeth might have felt, causing her to ignore the danger she was in. Her voice rang through the galley as she yelled out at the cyborg. "You. You! I trusted you! Silver, you traitor! How could you-"

Zara was forced to silence as the knife cut a little into the side of her neck. It didn't hurt very much, but the girl knew the pirate wouldn't stop there if she continued. Zarabeth could feel the warm blood as it dripped down the side of her neck to fall down the back of her shoulder.

Shocked at hearing the girl yell, Silver looked over to see Zara up against the wall, her head still yanked back. "Zara! What are ya doin' here? Somebody 'ad better have a good explanation!"

Scroop brought his face level with Silver's. "The girl was sssnooping about. She knowsss everything. She needsss to be eliminated."

Silver's angered look, for an instant, changed to one of pain. The old cyborg looked from Scroop to Zara, then back to Scroop. Silver then returned to his previous furry. "Not yet she won't be. We can still use 'er ta our a'vantage. That girl over t'ere is leverage. Ya got me?"

Scroop's yellow eyes bore into Zara as he looked her over. "She'sss more trouble than what it'sss worth. She'd have to keep her mouth ssshut until we reach the planet. She doesn't care if we threaten to kill her. There'sss no way to force her."

Silver's bionic arm changed into a clamp, latching onto Scroop's arm, squeezing it backwards. Scroop winced in obvious pain as the cyborg spoke. "I'll say what's ta be said! She'll keep quiet." Silver released Scroop as he walked over to lean above the table where Zara was. "I know for a fact dat even if her own life don't mean nothin' to her, the life of a certain cabin boy does."

Zara froze, a look of horror on her face. Her voice came out barely a whisper. "You wouldn't dare."

Silver smirked as he stared down at the girl. "Oh wouldn't I?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

Zarabeth let out a defeated sigh as she ran the wet cloth along her neck. The girl sat atop one of the counters in the galley, using the low lights of the room and the dim reflection of a copper pan to help her see the trail of dried blood that ran along her neck and down her shoulder.

It must have been very late. The deck above her was quiet, the galley now empty of the pirates who filled its seats but an hour ago.

Zara flinched as she brushed against the hairline cut in the side of her neck. Deep in thought, the girl was going over everything that had just happened.

Zarabeth cradled her face in her hands, her elbows propped on her knees. She whispered angrily out into the dim of the room. "How could I have been so blind? And now Amelia and Jim and-ah Jim..."

Her whole world was collapsing. The man she thought was her friend turned out to be her worst enemy. Now that she knew, she had to keep quiet, even though it would do nothing but prolong the lives of the people she loved, but only until they reached Treasure Planet.

Zara looked up from her hands as she heard Silver's unmistakable clomping come down the stairs to the galley. Pipe in hand, a wisp of its smoke came curling out the side of his mouth. He made his way over to the kitchen, looking as happy and innocent as ever. "Ya'll cleaned up I see! Oh, I t'ink ya missed a spot. Right t'ere by yer shoulder."

Zara didn't move. She was angry; angry at herself, at Silver, at everything. Blinded by her feelings, the girl stood abruptly and walked over to face the cyborg. Her voice began as a whisper but steadily grew as her emotions came flooding through her. "How could you? Silver why? I trusted you! Jim trusted you! And now you're just gonna kill us? I hope you think that blasted treasure is worth our lives!"

Zara threw her right hand up at the last sentence, intending to strike the cyborg, but Silver easily caught hold of it in one hand and restrained her left shoulder with the other. "Woah now lass! Calm down!" The cyborg held her at arm's length, Zara's thrashing getting her nowhere.

Zarabeth's anger was suddenly replaced with an overwhelming sense of sorrow and defeat. She knew there was no point in fighting. She'd already lost. Released from Silver's hold, the girl felt her knees give out beneath her in emotional exhaustion as she collapsed at the cyborg's feet. Zara knelt there on the floor, wringing her hair in her hands as tears finally began to fall down her cheeks. "Was it all a lie?"

Zara could hear the cyborg's gears click and clack as he sat down on the floor in front of her. His voice was low and sad. "Zara, hurtin' you an' Jimbo was never part of da plan. I've given up too much ta forget da treasure 'cause of a couple of kids. But dat don't mean I don't still care for both of ya. I has to save face in front of me crew now! I can't let dem t'ink I've gone soft. If dey knew how much ya two meant ta me, dey'd kill all of us for sure!"

Zara raised her head, her eyes boring into the cyborg's. One word fell from her lips, short but stabbing. "Coward."

Taken aback, Silver's face dropped slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. He reached out gently toward Zara as he finally spoke. "Come on now, lass. Ya needs a good night of sleep in ya. T'ings'll look different in da mornin'."

Zarabeth shrunk back at the cyborgs metallic touch. She crawled backward till her back was against a wall of wooden drawers. Pulling her knees up in front of her, she laid her forehead on them. Her voice was muffled under her skirt and leggings, "I'll sleep here."

Zara could hear that Silver was now standing. His voice sounded far off and sad as he walked toward the stairs back to the deck. "Suit yerself... I truly am sorry, Zara. But t'eres no turnin' back for me now."

Zara slowly looked up. She wanted to forgive him, but how could she? She still cared for Silver. He was like a second father to her. But, if he really cared, he would find some way to get her and Jim out of this fix. His greed was stronger than his love, she guessed.

Silver was about to climb the stairs, but stopped himself to say one more thing. "If i' be any consolation ta ya, Zara, I talked ta Jimbo 'bout Mr. Arrow. He's his old self now. He don't blame himself anymore. Just thought ya ought ta know."

Zara looked away, her reply barely audible from across the galley. "Thank you, Silver."

The sound of the old cyborg climbing the stairs and walking across the deck faded until Zarabeth was again left alone with her thoughts in the dim darkness.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

Zara woke with a start. She looked about her realizing that she was on the floor of the kitchen in the position she'd been sitting with Silver a few hours earlier. The girl thought she had just heard the sound of someone coming down the wooden stairs. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she tried to stand.

Suddenly, a voice burst out, breaking the silence in the galley. "Busted!"

Zara gave a start as she recognized Jim's voice. She rolled onto her hands and knees and somehow got to her feet, stiff and sore from sleeping on the floor. "So not smart," Zara thought as she stretched her aching limbs.

Zarabeth looked about the room expecting to see Jim, since she'd just heard his voice, but the boy was nowhere in sight. She scanned the room for any sign of him when the girl suddenly saw the almost-empty perp barrel in the corner of the room shift. Zara chuckled quietly as she snuck up towards the barrel intending to scare the living day-lights out of the cabin boy. Just as she was about to reach it, Zara was stopped by the sound of approaching footsteps. Looking up, the girl was met with a small group of pirates, led by Silver, coming down the stairs toward her.

The group looked scornfully down at the girl as they filed into the galley. They all knew that no matter how much she knew of their plans, Zara was their pawn, since Jim's safety and life hung in the balance. Realizing that they couldn't be allowed to find Jim, Zara casually walked toward the kitchen to hoist herself atop one of the counters. She prayed that Jim would be smart enough to stay hidden until the band of pirates left.

A thought suddenly struck Zara as she sat there, watching the spacers crowd onto various tables and benches. "If they talk about the mutiny, Jim will find out for himself, I won't have to tell him. Then maybe, just maybe, he can go to Amelia and Doppler himself so that all four of us can escape." This thought was great comfort to the girl as she fiddled with her hair, trying to appear nonchalant.

Various members of the crew began to speak up as the room grew still.

"There are only four left!"

"What are we waiting for?"

"We should catch them by surprise if we move now!"

Silver pounded his metal fist against the nearest table making the crew flinch. "We don't move until we've got the treasure in hand!"

Scroop clicked closer to where Zara sat as he spoke his mind. "I sssay we kill them all now." Scroop's claw snapped open and closed as he eyed the girl menacingly.

Silver took Scroop by the throat, bringing the alien's head level with his. "I'm givin' da orders 'round here! Disobey dem again like last night wit' dat scurvy Mr. Arrow, and so help me, I'll off ya before ya see one gold coin of Flint's hoard!"

Zara flinched as the cyborg flung Scroop in the direction of the perp barrel. The spider-crab recovered his footing before speaking again. "Ssstrong talk. But I know otherwissse."

Silver raised an eyebrow, "Yeh got somt'in ta say, Scroop?"

"It'sss that boy." The girl held her breath as Scroop reached a massive claw into the barrel behind him without looking. For a second, Zara was sure he'd find Jim, but the alien finally pulled his claw out, rolling a perp between its sharp red points. "Me thinksss you have a sssoft spot for 'im." The alien emphasized his words by puncturing a hole in the fruit's taught purple skin. Juices slowly dripped to the floor from the fresh perp.

The room seemed to buzz in low agreement as Silver nervously eyed Scroop. The cyborg recovered as his expression grew firm once more. "Now listen ta me, da lot of ya! I care 'bout one t'ing and one t'ing only, Flint's trove! Ya think I'd risk i' t'all for da sake one nose wipin' little welp? I cozied up ta da kid ta keep 'im off our scent."

Zara's heart dropped with every word. Knowing that Jim heard all of it made her sick.

The same word Zara had accused Silver of the night before unconsciously came out as a whisper from her lips. "Coward."

Silver spun around to face the girl. "What was dat?"

Zara tried to appear as hateful and aloof as possible. "Nothing."

Silver sneered, about to make a reply when he was interrupted by a call above deck. Mr. Onus' small voice rang through the ship, "Planet-ho!"

Zara's eyes were wide with fear. She knew that they had to act quickly if she and the others were to escape death.

The crew in the galley cheered as they scrambled up the stairs to get a look. Just as quickly as the room had been filled, it was now empty except for Zara and, assumably, Jim.

Morph's little pink form suddenly came flying out of the barrel, hurriedly making his way up to the deck. Now Zara was sure that Jim was there.

A few seconds passed before anything moved. Just as Zara began to wonder if she were mistaken, Jim came crawling out of the barrel, his back to the girl.

Without hesitation, Zara ran to face Jim, throwing her arms about him in relief.

The look on his face was beyond pain, he looked broken. Rejecting her embrace, Jim held Zarabeth at arm's length. His voice trembling, Jim managed to speak. "Silver is...they are...y-you knew?"

Tears threatened to break from the girl's eyes. "Jim, you have to believe me, I didn't know until last night. They were gonna kill you if I said anything to you or Amelia. Jim, Silver didn't mean what he said about you just now! He cares about us, about you." Zara shook her head frantically as Jim held her arms firmly in his hands. "You have to believe me." A single tear rolled down the girl's cheek as she finally calmed down.

Jim released Zara as he staggered, clinging to the edge of a table for support. Without warning, Jim grabbed Zarabeth's hand as he began running toward the stairs. "Come on, we gotta tell the Capt-"

Suddenly, Jim's path was blocked by Silver at the top of the steps. The cyborg's eye went wide with astonishment as he walked down the stairs, forcing the teens to back away. "Jimbo! Playin' games, are we?"

Zara stepped behind Jim as he moved back, pulling the girl around behind him protectively. She had one eye on Silver and the other on Jim's hand as it felt around the table behind them, searching for something. Jim's voice was cold as he replied. "Ya, ya we're playing games."

The old cyborg had his bionic arm behind him, his other hand rubbed the folds of his face in thought. "I see. Never was very good at games. Always hated to lose."

Zara's heart skipped a beat as she distinctly heard the 'click' of a pistol being cocked. Next to her, Jim's hand finally latched onto a pair of sharp skinning shears. Jim gave Zara's hand a warning squeeze before speaking. "Hm. Me too!"

In one swift move, Jim stabbed the blades into the hydraulics pump of the cyborg's right leg as he ran up the stairs past him pulling the girl up behind him.

Zara took a quick glance back as she saw Silver collapse at the top of the stairs, clinging to his injured leg.

The two ran along the length of the deck skipping the stairs two-by-two as they barged into the Captain's state-room. Flinging Zara into the room before him, Jim allowed Morph entrance before locking the door securely behind him.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

Surprised by their unannounced entrance, Amelia and Delbert quickly rose from their seats, both wearing confused looks.

Amelia was as cool as ever as Jim hurriedly tried to explain what was going on. The feline's eyes narrowed as the tale was relayed by the cabin boy. "Pirates on my ship! I'll see that they all hang!" Amelia sprang into action, opening a locked cupboard filled with laser guns, ammunition, and a golden ball with odd markings covering it. Throwing a pistol in the dog-man's direction, the Captain asked, "Doctor, familiar with these?"

Doppler caught the weapon, holding it awkwardly between two fingers as he fumbled through his reply. "Well, I've seen-I've read-" Suddenly, the pistol shot a laser in Amelia's direction, narrowly missing as a lamp exploded next to the Captain's shoulder.

The group jumped in surprise as Delbert lowered the weapon in embarrassment. "No. No I'm not."

Amelia rolled her eyes as she threw the golden sphere at Jim. "Mr. Hawkins, defend this with your life."

Zarabeth swatted away the pink blob of the shape-shifter as it whirled around her head playfully. Her gaze was one of astonishment as she looked down at the globe in Jim's hands. That must be the treasure map.

Amelia hurriedly gave Jim a pistol before pulling a rifle out for herself. "Stand back!" Amelia ordered as she blasted a hole through the wooden flooring in the middle of the room. "Alright, hurry now! We must move quickly to reach the longboats before we are discovered!"

Zara watched as Amelia deftly lowered herself through the floor, landing on the metal boardwalk that ran through the bowels of the ship. Without a word, Jim grabbed onto Zara's arms, lifting her down through the hole. He dropped her a few feet from the grated floor as he readied to lower himself in next.

Without another thought, Zarabeth began running, following the lead of the Captain as the group made their way through the maze of hallways, crates, and barrels. Morph flew alongside them, giggling and chirping all the way as if they were all playing a game.

Doppler, the tail-end of the group, began yelling in panic. Zara turned her head to see that they were being pursued by some of the pirates.

Jim's voice rose in urgency as Amelia disappeared down a flight of stairs and into the longboat bay. "Go go go!"

In her hurry, Zara lost her footing, tripping down the last few steps as she fell into the large room. The girl winced in pain as she landed hard on her right side. Adrenaline was the only thing to keep her going. Zara's world seemed to move in unrealistic slowness, like in a dream, as she was half pulled half dragged by Jim the rest of the way to one of the longboats. The girl somehow managed to clamber in as Jim began to untie the ropes securing the boat.

Amelia slammed the heavy metal door shut, locking it just as the pirates reached its opening. The feline shot a few lasers at the lock to melt it. "To the longboats, quickly!"

The hatch beneath the boat was steadily opening as Delbert and Amelia jumped into the boat beside Jim and Zara. Morph buzzed about Jim as the boy was distracted with loading his laser gun. The shape-shifter took the moment of distraction to latch his mouth about the map in Jim's pocket pulling it out and flying back into the heart of the room with it.

"Morph! Morph no! Come back here!" Jim scrambled out of the longboat, falling to the floor on his hands and knees as he raced after the pink blob.

With a jolting 'boom', the door to the bay flew open as pirates came flooding in to stop the getaway. Everyone was shooting at the longboat as it continued to prepare itself for launch.

Zara looked up just in time to see Silver raise the lever to close the hatch beneath the boat. The door began moving back into its previous state at a snail's pace.

Amelia hissed in irritation as she looked about for a solution. "Doctor, when I say 'now', shoot at that forward cable. I'll take this one." Amelia was planning to release the boat by force while the hatch was still closing.

Zara looked frantically about the room for Jim. They couldn't leave him behind! She found him just as he grabbed the map from out of a pile of rigging. A few feet away, scrambling on the ground, was Silver. She watched as Jim ran back toward the boat, the cyborg still on the ground behind him. Zarabeth drew in a sharp breath as she saw Silver raise his gun to shoot at the cabin boy. Jim was almost to the longboat, but he was an easy target.

Zara's voice rang through the bay as she yelled at the cyborg. "Silver, stop!"

A pained look on his face, the cyborg hesitated, then lowered his gun, changing it back into a hand. Silver's expression suddenly altered as he sat up, calling to his men. "Don't let 'em get away! Do what ya hafta! I want dat map!"

Pirates came up from all sides as Jim threw himself in a last effort toward the boat. Amelia yelled "now" as she and Doppler shot the two cables suspending the longboat. With a violent jolt, the boat came crashing onto the top of the partially closed hatch with Jim clinging to its rail. As the boat slid toward the opening, Zara reached out a hand to help get Jim in the boat when pain suddenly shot through her other arm. She closed her eyes, squirming as she felt herself being lifted up, her feet leaving the solid wood of the longboat.

Jim's frantic yelling faded into the distance as Zara was thrown by someone back onto the bay floor.

The girl clutched at her left arm as pain radiated and pulsed through it. Opening her eyes, Zara saw the bay's hatch, still closing, but its longboat was nowhere in sight. They got away! Rolling onto her back, Zarabeth's relief changed to panic as she came face-to-face with Scroop, his body looming over her.

Using everything she had in her, Zara kicked with both legs at Scroop's abdomen. The unexpected force sent the spider-crab sprawling to the side. Seeing her window of opportunity, Zara got up, running as fast as she could back through the bay door, around the twisted halls a short ways until she climbed back to the deck. She could hear Silver's angry voice rattling orders as various aliens came racing after her.

Zara ran to the edge of the deck, cradling her arm as she searched frantically for the longboat.

Suddenly, Zara felt cold metal against her neck as Silver violently turned the girl around, his face riddled with anger. "Ya stupid little brat! Scroop was reachin' for Jimbo, but of course yeh got in da way! I wanted dat blasted map!"

Zarabeth gasped as Silver took her injured arm in his grasp, squeezing it as he released his anger. She let out a cry of pain as a trail of blood began to flow freely, the force of the cyborg's grasp opening up the spot where Scroop had grabbed her. The cyborg flung the girl to the floor as if she were nothing but a rag doll.

Silver's attention was just then diverted as he heard one of the aliens at the laser cannon cheer. "That's it! Come to papa!"

The cyborg, seeing what the pirate was aiming for limped toward the cannon to stop him. "Wait! Hold yer fire! We'll lose the map!"

Realizing that the canon must be aimed at the longboat, Zara hoisted herself up to see over the edge of the ship, instantly spotting the boat.

Silver's protests were too late. The cannon was fired, a laser ball hurdling toward its target.

Zara could do nothing but watch in horror as the projectile caught the end of longboat, tearing the solar sail from the now flightless craft.

Zarabeth cried out desperately with an overwhelming sense of helplessness as she watched the flaming boat spin out of control until it fell beyond her sight below the planet's atmosphere.

The girl collapsed against the deck railing in shock, her eyes staring out at nothing, as a single name left her lips, "Jim."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

Everything sounded distant and muffled: Silver barking orders at his men, feet scuffling about the deck as pirates hurried to obey their captain. Zara couldn't pull herself back into reality. Jim was gone. The scene replayed over and over again in her head as she sat there against the wood rail.

Slowly coming out of her stupor, Zarabeth's mind was numb, numb with anger. Singlehandedly, Silver had ripped everything she'd ever loved away from her in less than a day. Leaning on her right arm, Zara managed to stand up, her other arm uselessly hanging to her side as it bled.

Silver was still standing a few yards away as he shouted out orders about this and that. Coming upon him as quickly as she could, Zara kicked at the cyborg's already injured bionic leg, sending him to his knees. The girl was about to hit him, but she was quickly restrained by the dinosaur-like pirate who shot the cannon and Turnbuckle.

Zara's yelling sounded frightful as it rang across the ship, screaming herself hoarse in a mixture of physical and emotional pain as she fought against her restraints. "You killed him! You killed him! It wasn't anyone else! It was you! I hope you're happy Silver! I hope you're happy you scum-sucking pirate!"

The old cyborg grit his teeth as he pulled himself back into a standing position. His expression was one of pure rage as he stared down at Zara. The girl continued rambling madly on until Silver decided he'd had enough. Turning his back, Silver shouted to his crew. "Men! Prepare da longboat for launch! We're goin' down ta find ourselves a map!

Mr. Scroop! You're in charge of da ship while we're gone. Turnbuckle, Bilge, take dis here wench ta da brig. Scroop, you're ta look after her. Punish her if ya must, but I'd better not come back to a corpse. Am I clear?"

Scroop sneered evilly as he slowly blinked his yellow eyes. "Transssparently."

No longer screaming, Zara was back in a state of shock. She hardly felt or understood that anything was happening until she heard one of the pirates slam shut the metal door to her cell in the brig.

Once she was alone, Zarabeth looked about at her surroundings. She was sitting on a low cot with no pillow or sheets, just the flat surface. Her cell felt large since she was the only one in it, but it would have been too small for a few members of the pirate crew. The brig was lit only by a few lamps and the sky above which shone through a grate in the ceiling above her head, making the atmosphere even more gloomy and cold. She was surrounded by three barred walls of iron and the wooden wall of the ship at her back.

For the first time, Zara looked down at her throbbing left arm. Scroop's claw had ripped right through the sleeve of her shirt only to continue its deadly course into her forearm, leaving a two inch cut along it. By now the bleeding had stopped, so Zara left it alone. She didn't really care anyway. She didn't care about anything. There was nothing left to care about.

Exhausted and overwhelmed, Zarabeth lay back on the cot, careful to avoid bumping her arm. She was too lifeless and tired to even cry. There was no point. Even though she knew it was impossible, Zara hoped she'd bleed to death in her sleep. Such a fate was kinder than living however long she might without Jim.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

Metal clanging and scraping together woke Zara from her dreamless sleep. The girl looked up to see that Scroop was looming over her, the cell door closed behind him. Startled, Zarabeth cowered slightly under the spider-crab's intense stare.

Rolling over so that her back faced the alien, the girl spat out her words in distain. "Leave me alone."

Scroop chuckled low in his throat. "Feeling sssnappy are we?"

"I said, leave me alone."

Scroop's legs clicked sharply against the wooden floor as he leaned down close to the girl's hidden face. "Isss her Highness hungry?"

Zarabeth tried not to cough, Scroop's breath reeking in her nostrils. "What if I am? You don't intend to feed me anyway."

The alien pulled back slightly. His surprise quickly twisted back into a smirk.

Zarabeth took a quick glance up through the grate above her. It was late. The sky was a deep blue streaked with one of the green rings which surrounded the planet.

Zara was hungry. She hadn't eaten since dinner the day before. "I know what you want Scroop, but you're not gonna see me beg and grovel. I'd much rather starve, thank you."

Zara gasped in surprise as she felt herself being pulled upright by her hair. Her back suddenly to the wall, Scroop pinned Zarabeth firmly to it with one massive claw, his twisted face now only inches from hers.

"If it weren't for the old cyborg, I'd ssslit your sssorry throat here and now."

Zara glared into the foggy eyes before her, her reply just above a whisper. "Trust me, you'd be doing me a favor."

Scroop's tone changed to one of ridicule. "Oh now, don't be like that. Sssilver's gonna bring back your lover boy's corpssse so you can kisss him goodbye before I rip you to shredsss. That is, if they can find him in one pieccce."

Zara drew a quivering breath as she dropped her eyes. She didn't want to think about what Jim's lifeless body might look like. Zarabeth bit down hard on her lip. The last thing she wanted was to give Scroop the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

With his free claw, Scroop mockingly pulled the hair out of Zara's face. "Ohhh. Does the lasss need some time to cry over her losss?"

Gritting her teeth, the girl tried not to move as the alien fiddled with her hair, but Scroop's last statement snapped her control. "Shut up!"

She unconsciously threw her right hand up, smacking it as hard as she could against the alien's spindly head. Zara hoped it hurt him more than it did her as her hand began pulsing from the impact.

Scroop's head snapped to the side at the force of Zara's unexpected response. The alien hissed as he turned back to face the captive girl. "Why you little-" Scroop's razor sharp claw was instantly at the girl's throat, but to his surprise, Zara didn't even flinch.

The girl's voice was calm and even. "Do it. I dare you."

Scroop knew he couldn't follow through. He'd regret it when Silver returned. With growing frustration, the spider-crab abruptly pulled his claw away. He snarled in agitation until his face suddenly relaxed. With Zara still pinned to the wall, Scroop chuckled low in his throat as he tugged teasingly at the girl's bloody left sleeve. "I told you lassst night that I'd make you bleed. I'm not quite sssatisfied.

Zara winced as she tried to avoid Scroop's probing, but she couldn't move far enough. Realizing that she was completely vulnerable to any pain Scroop wished to inflict, Zara began to panic. The girl looked frantically around the cell for an opportunity to be free of him. Zarabeth's eye suddenly fell upon the cell door. The key was still in its lock. Scroop didn't have it.

A plan quickly formulated itself in Zara's mind, but she knew that timing was everything. She had to act quickly.

With one fluid motion, the spider-crab tore the ripped sleeve open, fully exposing the dried cut on Zara's upper arm. Scroop pushed the girl even harder against the wall as he felt her trying to move out of reach.

With agonizing slowness, Zara could only watch as the alien brought the point of his claw down to her exposed arm.

"Not bleeding anymore, I sssee. Let's fffix that."

No matter how much she squirmed, Zara couldn't avoid Scroop's aim. It was getting harder to breath as he shoved her even more firmly against the wood. She let out a gasp to keep from crying out as she felt the dried cut violently being reopened.

Now was her chance. With as much strength as she could muster, Zara kicked at the left set of Scroop's legs.

Suddenly off balance, the alien let out an angry snarl as he fell to the floor in a tangle of his own limbs.

Zarabeth scrambled toward the door, her hands shaking uncontrollably with adrenaline as she tried to turn the key in its lock. "Come on, come on."

She hurriedly took a glance over her shoulder. Scroop was getting back to his feet. She was running out of time. "Ssstop!"

Finally, the key clicked into place. Pulling it out as quickly as her hands would allow, Zarabeth tried opening the heavy door. The metal scraped together unwillingly until it opened up for the girl. Still clinging to the key, Zara intended to lock the cell with Scroop still inside. The bars of the door were cold to the touch as Zara desperately held onto them for support.

She was almost out of the door when the girl was suddenly thrown to the floor. The next thing she knew was the feeling of the rough wood against her cheek. Her back pulsed in pain as she raised herself back to her hands and knees. She looked up just in time to see one of Scroop's red legs go hurdling toward her. Unable to avoid it, the impact to her stomach sent the helpless girl rolling back into the middle of her cell.

Zarabeth gasped for a good breath as she lay on the floor clinging to her aching sides.

No more. There was no more fight left in Zarabeth. She knew with that final blow that she'd lost. She was done for.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:**

Scroop's breathing was heavy with agitation as he clicked closer to where the girl lay. "That'sss it. I don't care what the old cccyborg says, you're gonna-"

The alien's threat was cut short with the deafening blare of the ship's alarms.

Both Scroop and Zara looked around in bewilderment, but the alien was the first to recover. Scroop snarled low in his throat. "I'll be back." With terrifying speed, the spider-crab made his exit of the cell and the brig to find the reason for the alarm.

Zarabeth was suddenly back where she'd started: alone, bleeding, locked in a cell. At a loss of what to do, Zara finally managed to sit up, crawling slowly back to her cot. Her bleeding arm throbbed in dull pain as she finally lay down again, the loud noise confusing her senses.

The alarms had, by now, ceased their screaming, but Scroop wasn't back. Trying to think through the fog in her head, Zarabeth couldn't even guess at what was going on. As she lay there in complete stillness, the only lights in the brig shut off all at once, leaving the girl with only the grate above her for light. Now she knew something was definitely wrong.

A few seconds passed before the ship's emergency lights turned on, giving everything an eery red glow. Zara's curiosity was getting the best of her. Propping herself up on her right arm, Zarabeth strained her ears in concentration, waiting for the smallest sound to give her a clue as to what was happening, but it was hard to hear past the pounding in her own head. Suddenly, she thought she could make out the sounds of feet running through the maze of halls which were behind the wall at her back.

Still at a loss of what was going on, Zara let out a cry of surprise and alarm as her whole body slowly began floating up into the air. "The artificial gravity must have stopped working. This ship is falling apart!" Zara thought as she finally floated to the ceiling, her ascent halting there.

She half crawled half floated over the boards of the ceiling to the grate above the cot. She thought maybe she'd catch a glimpse of something, anything. Suddenly, the sound of splintering wood caught Zara's attention. She strained to see where the sound had come from, but all she could catch were chunks of what used to be wooden grating floating up toward the dark sky.

Frustrated at being unable to see anything, Zara pushed her way over to the cell door. The girl wrapped her injured arm around one of the bars for support as she reached with her right through the bars and down to the lock on the other side. She blindly felt around the smooth cold metal until she found the keyhole. To her disappointment, Scroop hadn't forgotten to take the key with him. It had been a desperate and unlikely hope, but a hope none the less.

Without any other ideas, Zara aimlessly floated back toward the grate. Suddenly able to make out a sound, a voice, Zarabeth looked frantically through her window to the deck, searching for any motion.

She pushed her free-flowing hair out of her face, about to give up again, when the silence was shattered by the unmistakable sound of Scroop yelling.

Zarabeth let out a cry of alarm as her body suddenly felt heavy, the gravity returned, as she fell helplessly back to the floor. Landing hard on her left side, Zara let out a gasp as knives of pain shot through her already throbbing arm. Releasing the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, Zarabeth allowed a deflating cry to escape her lips as she pulled her arm out from under her body.

From somewhere above deck, she thought she heard her name. But, as soon as she thought she'd caught the sound, it was quiet again. Maybe she'd imagined it.

Tired, sore, hungry, bleeding, and defeated, Zara couldn't move from where she lay facing the floor. Completely still, lifeless almost, she waited for Scroop to return. She could only hope that he'd carry out his threat and finish her off quickly.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19:**

Only a few minutes had passed, but Zara started to wonder where Scroop was. She was about to try to raise herself from the floor when she heard the door to the brig open. Footsteps came down the wooden stairs, but they weren't the sharp clicks of Scroop's legs.

Unsure of whether to be scared or relieved, Zara decided to be cautious, scooting back toward the far corner of the cell. Since the lights hadn't yet come back on, it was hard to make out if anyone was coming toward her cell, which was the furthest back in the brig.

The footsteps continued to come closer, or at least she thought they were feet. Now the sound was more like metal clanking together. Was Silver back already?

Suddenly, the mystery figure spoke, its voice hushed but raspy as if cautious. "Zara! That's her name right? You in here?"

Surprised that it spoke her name, Zarabeth knew she had never heard this person's voice before. She argued with her own mind, wondering whether she should answer or not.

Another sound caught her attention as she sat there questioning herself. The sound was one that couldn't be mistaken. Zara heard the chirping and tiny jabbering of Morph. Everything was growing more and more puzzling to the girl. What was going on?

Zara continued to sit still, drowned in her own bewilderment, when the dark red of the room was pierced by a blinding yellow beam. The light bounced and floated from one place to another in quick random jerks, making it obvious that the light was coming from Morph imitating a flashlight or lamp. The little shapeshifter flew closer and closer to Zara, but she didn't move, still unsure of the situation she was in.

The unfamiliar voice spoke again, this time as if talking to himself. "Kinda creepy down here. Heh, I don't know about you, but I'm gettin' the heebie-jeebies. Well, if she's not in here, I don't know what we're gonna tell Jimmy."

Zarabeth sprang into attention. Hardly believing what she'd just heard, Zara's voice called through the dark, loud but shaking. "J-Jim?"

The light that was Morph suddenly dissolved as the pink blob came flying in her direction. Upon seeing the girl, the shapeshifter let out a squeal of delight as he licked and rolled around Zara's face. The girl giggled quietly as she pet the blob, trying to get him to calm down.

The unknown figure clinked and clanked over to Zara's cell. From the dim light, the girl could make out that the figure's limbs were skinny but his torso and head bulky. Obviously not human, Zara could now see that he was made entirely out of rusted yellow metal, some kind of intelligent robot.

Zara tried to rise from where she sat as Morph flew to the still locked door. The pink blob suddenly changed into a skeleton key, shoving his new form into the lock as he worked on setting the girl free.

The metal man threw his arms up in delight upon seeing Zara, his voice ringing through the brig. "Hazzaa! Jimmy she's here! We found her!"

Stunned once more by what the robot was saying, Zara stood, but was quickly brought back down to her knees. "Jim is here? H-he's alive?"

Finally, the lock on the cell door 'clicked' in submission to Morph's key shape as it idly swung open on its screeching hinges. Pulling away, Morph chirped in delight at his success.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried feet came crashing down the stairs as a figure came abruptly into view.

Illuminated only by the light from the grate in the cell's ceiling, Zara let out a shaking breath as she took in what she saw.

Standing in the cell's entrance was Jim, his face lit up in pained relief. For a moment, neither of them moved, too overwhelmed to do so.

A single tear fell down Zara's cheek as her heart threatened to pound out of her chest. She released a trembling gasp as she felt Jim fall to her side, surrounding her with his embrace. She took in the feeling of Jim's every touch. He was warm, he was real. He was alive.

Pulling slightly away, Jim cupped Zarabeth's face in his hands, pulling stray hair away from her tear-filled eyes. He thought she'd never looked so beautiful. His own eyes began to spill over in happiness and relief as he tried to remember Zara's every look.

His hands, Zara thought she'd never feel again. Jim's face, she feared she'd never see. Zarabeth's voice was barely above a whisper as she tried to hold back her tears. "I thought you were dead! Oh Jim, I thought I'd lost you! When the boat was hit-I thought...I thought they killed you."

Jim pressed his lips to the girl's forehead before he whispered back to her. "I'm not going anywhere. I-I didn't know whether I'd find you alive or not. I was so afraid. But I had a promise to keep. Remember? I promised to always be there to save you. I'm sorry it took me so long." Jim ran his thumb gently over Zara's cheeks, wiping them dry of her tears.

For a moment, the two sat there, slightly apart, lost in each other's eyes until they slowly leaned in, letting their lips meet. They hadn't kissed since that night in the galley, but this time was different. It was deeper, sweeter, and more precious than their first.

Slowly pulling away, Zara bit down hard on her lip, to try to keep from making a sound as Jim unknowingly laid his hand against her injured arm.

Immediately noticing her expression change, Jim looked down in horror at Zara's left arm, quickly pulling his hand away as he spoke. "Zara you're hurt!" Jim lifted away the sleeve, exposing the cut beneath. "We need to stop the bleeding. B.E.N., go down to the galley to get some bandages and water. Hurry!"

Zara let Jim look her arm over, his touch gentle and warm. Looking up at him, she quickly interjected. "Jim, no, I'm fine! Really, it's not that bad. Besides, shouldn't we get out of here before Scroop comes back?"

The robot, who'd been standing silently in the middle of the brig now jumped into action, ignoring the girl's protests. "I'm on it, Captain Jimmy sir!"

Zara was about to object again, but stopped when she felt Jim's finger against her lips. "Shush! You're not gonna do this to me again, now let me handle it. Rusty-bolts, over there, needs something to do anyway. And don't worry about Scroop. You're never gonna have to worry about him again. Now tell me if I'm hurting you." With great care, Jim slowly ripped away at the shredded sleeve until it was completely severed from the shirt.

Zara knew better than to try to stop Jim. She really did need his help and appreciated it. She wasn't completely sure of what he meant about Scroop, but Zara guessed he'd explain later.

Morph, who had been quietly observing the two teens, now slowly floated over, cooing sorrowfully as he caught sight of Zara's blood-stained arm. The girl tickled the pink blob, trying to get him to lighten up. "Hey, Morph, I'm ok. Don't you worry about me. But I believe some thanks are in order for my little hero." The girl pulled the blob close, kissing the side of his little pink cheek. "Thank you."

Morph sighed in contentment as he literally melted, dripping down into a happy pink puddle on the floor. Regaining his original shape, Morph chirped happily as he licked at Zara's face repeating her words, "Little hero!"

Zara smiled in contentment as she looked down, watching Jim's every move. She still could hardly believe it. This morning, Zara had thought it was the end of the world, that through death and betrayal she had lost everyone she loved. Suddenly, everything was back to the way it was and should be, well almost. But that was good enough for Zara.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20:**

As they waited for B.E.N. to return, Jim explained everything to Zarabeth. He told her how after the longboat was hit, Amelia somehow managed to land it with everyone still alive. Amelia had taken a bad hit from the aftermath of the laser cannon, but she was safe with Doppler at B.E.N.'s house. While searching for a place to hide, they'd stumbled upon the robot, who'd been the navigation system for Captain Flint a hundred years ago. Jim explained that when he thought he'd retrieved the map from the ropes in the bay during the escape, it had actually been Morph, but that he'd found the map safe and sound now. B.E.N. had set off the alarms, unplugged the lights, and turned off the gravity while trying to disconnect the ship's laser cannons. While the gravity had been off, Jim and Scroop had floated up to the mast when Jim had managed to kick Scroop off balance, sending the alien to float up into space to his death.

Now the plan was simple. With the longboat Jim had stolen from the sleeping pirates, they were all going to fly back to B.E.N.'s house, get Amelia and Doppler, find the treasure, and fly away on the Legacy with as much loot as they could manage, leaving Silver and the other pirates stranded until they sent the authorities back for them.

Zarabeth and Jim heard B.E.N. coming back long before they could see him. What gave away the robot's approach was B.E.N.'s voice singing, "Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me!"

Zara listened in amusement as Jim pinched the bridge of his nose mumbling to himself. "That robot's gonna get us all killed."

"Oh come on, he's a sweet...thing. He's helped us all a lot from what I've seen and heard."

"Why thank you Bethers!"

Zara jumped slightly at hearing B.E.N.'s voice a short ways behind her. The girl raised her eyebrows in surprise at what the robot called her. "Bethers? That's one I've never heard before."

B.E.N. let himself into the cell, his arms spilling over with rolls of bandages and a flask of water. He haphazardly set them near Jim as he walked around Zara. "I think it suits you! Not to blow my own horn or anything, but I think I'm a great nickname giver. I can just feel it flow from me so naturally- You let me know when I'm rambling ok?-But it's just my personal opinion that..." B.E.N. continued his conversation with himself as he made his way out of the cell and up the stairs onto the deck, curious Morph trailing behind.

Suddenly surrounded by quiet, Zara let out a small sigh in relief. "A little in your face, but he'd make a good travel buddy. I don't think he took a breath from the moment he started talking."

Jim laughed as he tore off a chunk of a bandage roll. "Unfortunately, that's because he doesn't need to."

After soaking the cloth in water, Jim carefully began to clean the blood stains from Zara's arm. He chuckled to himself as he scrubbed at a particularly stubborn part.

Looking quizzically at him, Zarabeth couldn't help but ask. "What's so funny?"

Jim spoke as he continued to work. "It's just, why is it that whenever we're really alone, you're usually bleeding?"

Zara looked down at her arm as she smiled. It looked so much better without the dried blood covering it. "Hmm who knows."

Finished with cleaning it, Jim began to wrap Zara's arm in the crisp white bandages. He was extra gentle as he layered it directly over the bleeding cut on her upper arm. The girl winced slightly as Jim tied it off just above her elbow. "Sorry."

Zara smiled as she shook her head. "No, you're good. Thank you Jim...for everything."

The girl's heart melted into nothing as Jim gave her a half smile in reply. Pushing Zara's hair behind her ear, Jim finally spoke. "You're very welcome."

The two leaned forward, resting their foreheads together as Jim whispered. "Thanks for being alive when I got here."

Zara blushed as she felt Jim plant a small kiss on the tip of her nose. Her reply was equally quiet. "Trust me, a minute later and I wouldn't have been. I owe you my life." She opened her eyes to find Jim looking directly at her. Those beautiful blue eyes, Zara could watch them forever.

"Well...I guess that makes us even now."

Zara bit her lip as she continued to be lost in Jim's gaze. "Guess so."

Cupping her cheek in his hand, Jim closed his eyes as he leaned forward to kiss Zara again.

The girl closed her eyes in anticipation when an unexpected voice rang through the brig. "You know, you two are just the sweetest thing, I just have to say it." They both looked up in the same instant to see B.E.N. outside the cell, leaning against the bars as he watched the two.

Zara quickly turned her face to the wall, covering her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing out. She took a glance at Jim and had to turn away again. Jim was pursing his lips, his eyes firmly shut as he slowly breathed in and out, obviously trying hard not to lose his temper.

B.E.N. continued to talk without even noticing that Jim or Zara minded. "I'm no expert or anything, but I'd say that you two really have something special. I mean, did you see how she looked at you Jimmy? I'd say that speaks for itself right there."

After regaining his control, Jim looked sadly over at Zara. "We'd better go if we're gonna make it back to the Captain and Doc before morning." After standing, the cabin boy offered a hand to help Zarabeth up.

Zara's face wore a mischievous smile as she took the boy's hand. "Let's go find us some treasure."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21:**

It didn't take them long to fly down to the surface of the planet. The planet was just beginning to glow with morning light. Zarabeth watched in awe as they silently drifted through forests of oversized fungi and over open planes where the ground was completely covered in slick moss. Since the planet was man-made, not much else could grow on the surface.

Jim moored the longboat about a mile from a tall, egg-shaped, metal structure which B.E.N. was proud to point out as his home and their current hideout. The robot hopped out of the longboat to scurry over to a moss covered dome-like stone. Jim helped B.E.N. lift the "rock" to reveal that it was a a secret door. Looking through the opening, Zara could see that the tunnel led down under the surface of the planet, miles and miles of circuits, wires, and a metal walkway which the robot explained led to other such entrances. Jim helped lower B.E.N. down first so that he could lead the way. Morph flew in next. Taking her by the waist, Jim carefully let Zara down through the hole to drop only a few feet onto the walkway.

Zarabeth swallowed hard as she clung to the iron railing next to her. The floor shook as Jim let himself in to complete the group. Zara knew that if she fell over the edge, it would take a long time to hit anything. She shuddered slightly at the thought, but relaxed as she felt Jim wrap his hand protectively around her waist.

The little company walked through the maze of stairs and ramps until B.E.N. began to climb a ladder which led them into the back of his house. It was dark inside the metal dome, the walls green and red from rust and grime.

As soon as she was on firm ground, Zara looked about quickly for Amelia, but it was too dark to see anything from where they stood.

As soon as everyone was inside, Jim ran over to a large rock a few yards away, Zara trailing behind him. Jim pulled the golden sphere of the map out of his pocket as he began to talk to a shadow. "Hey Doc, wake up! Zara's ok! We got the map!"

It wasn't Doppler's hand which reached out to grab the map from Jim, but the bionic hand of Silver. His voice was cold as he sat up out of the shadows to reveal himself. "Fine work, Jimbo. Fine work indeed."

Zara froze on the spot, her mind reeling in fear. No, not again! Behind her, Zarabeth saw that a pirate had B.E.N. captured by the trap door. The only other way out was through the enormous circle cut-out at the front of the house.

Jim looked about the room, seeing the exact same things as Zara. The cabin boy grabbed the girl's right hand as he took off, full speed, for the front of the dome. The two were almost to the opening when a hidden group of the pirates came out of the shadows, creating a circle to surround them. The group tightened as they got ready to grab whichever teen was unfortunate enough to get too close to them.

Panic confused Zara's senses as she racked her brain for any idea. Just as she looked up, Turnbuckle and Bilge each grabbed for Jim, tearing the twos' hands apart from each other. Zara frantically kicked and struggled, restrained in the massive rhinoceros hands of Regulus.

It didn't take long for the pirates to completely restrain the group. Jim fought against the hands and tentacles which held him, but he knew it was no use.

Zara looked around the room as she fought to get free, her eyes suddenly catching sight of Amelia and Doppler, bound and gagged at knifepoint at the mercy of two other aliens. The girl cringed and grit her teeth as Regulus rearranged his grip on her, roughly laying hold of her injured arm.

Jim couldn't tear his gaze away from the girl as he watched her face continue to be streaked with anger and pain.

Silver walked between the two struggling teens, a satisfied look on his face as he tossed the map casually in his hand. "Yer just like me Jimbo, yeh hates ta lose." The cyborg laughed as he tried twisting open the map. When the globe wouldn't budge, Silver frantically began changing his arm into clamps, braces, and other things to get the map to concede. "What teh devil?" Nothing happened.

Zara looked from Silver to Jim and noticed that the boy's face was tinted with a smirk.

Seeing his amusement, Silver shoved the map into the cabin boy's chest, a threatening look on his face. "Open it!"

The two pirates holding Jim's arms now let go to allow Jim the use of his hands. But once he was holding the map, the boy didn't move, his eyes glaring coldly into the cyborg's.

Realizing that Jim wasn't about to comply willingly, Silver changed his mechanical arm into a laser pistol. The cyborg turned himself to face both of the teens as he lowered the firearm in Zara's direction.

The girl began struggling once more as she called out to the boy. "Jim, don't you da-aaah!" Zara's words were cut short as Regulus began squeezing her bleeding arm. The pain brought the girl unwillingly to her knees as she tried to escape it. After a second, the alien's grip let up, leaving Zara breathing heavily on her knees, the sharp pain disappearing into a dull throb. Looking up, she could see that Jim was struggling with himself, unsure of what to do.

Silver's patience was dwindling. He continued to stare at Jim as he cocked the pistol. "I'd get busy."

Jim needed no other threat. Without looking, the boy tapped his fingers across the surface of the globe, pressing a series of buttons before spinning its top and side until the map opened with a 'click'. Little green lights swirled out from the markings of the map, flying into the middle of the room before it dissolved into a holographic picture of the planet.

Silver spoke, barely above a whisper, to break the stunned silence in the room. "Oh dah powers dat be, would ya look."

Everyone watched in awe as the picture stood still for a moment before it shot from the middle of the room and out of the circular opening. The green light created a straight line, assumably leading to the location of the hidden treasure.

Limping towards the entrance to see where it was going, Silver barked orders to his crew. "Tie 'em up and leave 'em with t'a others."

The green line suddenly disappeared as Jim closed the map defiantly. "If you want the map, you're gonna have to take me too."

Silver squinted in irritation for a moment before his face relaxed in a smirk. "We'll take 'em all."

The inhuman crew cheered in excitement as they all scrambled to get ready for departure.

Regulus cackled in amusement as he roughly let go of Zarabeth, shoving her into Jim. The cabin boy barely caught the girl as he wrapped his arms around her, regaining his balance.

Zara looked up fearfully into Jim's eyes, her voice trembling. "Jim, what are we gonna do?"

Jim let out a nervous sigh as he pulled the girl gently into his arms, her head resting against his chest. "I'm not gonna let anything happen. I promise."

Zara took in the feeling of the boy's embrace as she whispered in reply. "You may not be able to keep that promise."

Jim pulled away slightly, lifting up the girl's chin to face him. "I will keep that promise...or die trying."

Zara closed her eyes. The girl's voice lowered even more so that only Jim could hear her as she spoke. "That's what I'm afraid of."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22:**

"You gonna take all day 'bout it?! Get dat blasted t'ing runnin'!" The old cyborg furiously grabbed any member of his crew who got too close to him, shoving them toward the flightless longboat outside. For some reason, the connection between the solar-sail and thrusters wasn't working, causing the engine to sputter until it quit. Turnbuckle and Regulus had to pull it almost half a mile to retrieve it from where Jim had left it. Anyone who knew anything about mechanics was now franticly working away at the boat, trying to get it to start up again.

The prisoners had been moved to a corner of B.E.N.'s house so that one pirate could watch all five of them. No one bothered to unbind Amelia or Delbert's hands, but they did remove the gags. B.E.N. sat quietly in a tight metal bundle of arms and legs, muttering this and that to himself or talking quietly with Morph.

Jim sat with his back propped against the cold wall, his legs out in front of him. Zara was laying on her right side quietly next to Jim, her head resting in his lap. Neither of them spoke. Jim played mindlessly with the tangles of Zarabeth's wavy hair while she fidgeted with the bandage around her arm.

Zara was the first to break the silence, speaking so that only Jim could hear her. "Jim, what's Montressor like?" Rolling from her side to her back, the girl stared up at the boy as she waited for his reply.

Jim looked down at Zara, his face astonished. "You've never been there?"

"Never gotten past the spaceport."

Jim took a deep breath as he stared at the opposite wall in thought. "It's a pretty barren planet. Um, there's lots of canyons and ravines, great for solar-surfing through." The boy's voice steadily relaxed as he continued to recall things about his home planet. "It's warm and sunny for most of the year, but right now, for a few months, it's cooler and it rains almost every night.

Some people hate it there. It looks so lifeless and deserted, but there's something about flying through the colorless canyons that makes you feel alive. It's like your life is in direct contrast to the world around you. Solar-surfing is about the only thing that keeps me sane when I'm home. Have you ever ridden?"

Zara couldn't help but smile as she watched Jim speak. He seemed so happy and calmed by the memory of his home. She shook her head in answer to his question. "Never had the chance."

Jim smiled mischievously. "Well that's no good. When we get back-"

"You mean, if we-" Zara's interruption was suddenly cut short by Jim jokingly clamping his hand over her mouth.

"When we get back, I'm gonna take you out riding with me. And if you like it, I can even teach you how to handle it yourself."

Zarabeth smiled as she removed Jim's hand from her face. "I'd like that."

The more the two talked, the easier it was to forget where they were. Zara tried hard to remember Jim's every look as he spoke. He seemed so sure of himself as he described the way he saw his future with her.

"When we get back, we'll be rich beyond belief. I'll be able to buy you from Amelia so you can finally be free."

Zara closed her eyes as she tried to imagine what freedom would be like. She could do anything she wanted, be anywhere she wished, she could stay with Jim forever.

"Zarabeth, what's the first thing you want to do when you're free?"

The girl chuckled softly at the question. "I've never thought about it before. I really didn't think it would ever happen. But I suppose I'd want to do something special, something I thought I'd never have the chance to do. Any ideas?"

After a minute of careful thought, Jim described what finally came to mind. "We could get all dressed up, me in a suit and you in the most beautiful dress money can buy, and we can go into town to one of those fancy hotel dances. If nothing else, I'd get to show off my beautiful girl."

Zara laughed quietly. "Only one problem there, lover-boy. I don't know how to dance."

Jim broke out into a beaming smile as he laughed with her. "Me neither."

"We'd look rather odd, all dressed up without a clue as to what we were doing. I'd love it."

"Good, then it's a date."

Zarabeth ignored the situation they were in as she asked her next question in growing curiosity. "What else would you do with your share of the treasure?"

Jim's look was distant as he replied. "I'd give most of it over to my mom. Honestly, I wouldn't know what to do with it, but she needs it. My mom can rebuild the inn, bigger and better than it was before. You could live with us there." The boy continued to speak as he looked down at Zara. "I know my mom's gonna love you."

"What's she like?"

Jim's smile was the most gentle and loving Zarabeth thought she'd ever seen. The boy carefully ran his hand along the side of her face, through her thick hair as he described his mom. "She's a lot like you. She's brave, tough as nails, courageous to a fault, tender-hearted, compassionate, and strong. She's been through so much, but you wouldn't know it just by looking."

"What's her name?"

"Sarah."

Zarabeth slowly sat up to lean against the metal wall, her head cradled on Jim's shoulder. She sighed wearily as she glanced over at Amelia and Delbert. The girl couldn't suppress a small smile as she watched the two talking quietly together.

Jim turned to look down at Zara. "What are you smiling about?"

"It's just...I can't help thinking about how cute Delbert and Amelia look together. Look."

Jim followed the girl's gaze, silently watching the doctor and captain talk. His face wore a hint of a smile as he looked back at Zara, their faces only inches apart. "Ya think so?"

Zarabeth nodded quietly as she met Jim's gaze. She closed her eyes as she whispered, resting her forehead against Jim's. "If things were different..."

The boy bit down on his lower lip as he released a heavy breath. "Ya...If things were different..."

After a few minutes of silence, Jim turned his body to face Zara. The boy tenderly cupped the side of the girl's face with his hand, stroking her smooth cheek. "I love you." Saying this, Jim gently kissed the girl's forehead.

Zara closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to keep her voice from trembling as she whispered in reply. "I love you too."

Jim closed his eyes as he slowly drew Zara's face closer. He wanted nothing more than to protect and love Zarabeth for the rest of his life, but he was so afraid of what might happen now. He felt so helpless, but he had to be strong for her, to keep fighting for her precious life.

Zara closed her eyes as she felt Jim's lips meet hers. Every anxiety and fear she had seemed to melt away at his warm touch. The feeling of Jim's sweet kiss, Zara knew this may be the last time.

The grotesque snickering of two of the pirates suddenly caught the twos' attentions. Zara looked up to see that their guard, Bilge, was nudging a pirate close by as he watched the teens. The ugly crew member began taunting Jim and Zara as he waved his laser pistol at them. "Kissy, kissy, kissy!"

Jim's glare was like ice as he struggled to contain his anger. He unconsciously moved forward, as if to face-off with the pirate, but was quickly stopped by Zara's hand against his shoulder.

The guard threw his arms out wide as he laughed. "Go for it boy! Give it your best shot! I'll take the slave wench off your hands after I blast a hole in you!"

Jim grit his teeth as his hands tightened into fists beside him.

Zara desperately tried to get Jim's attention to keep him from doing something rash. "Jim, stop! Just ignore him. He's just trying to make you mad."

The pirate next to the guard cackled as he leaned against a rock beside Zara, hovering over the girl. "Don't worry, sweetheart. If lover-boy dies, we'll take good care of you."

Zara took in a sharp breath as she felt the alien begin to toy with her hair. She tried to keep calm as she spoke without turning around. "Please don't touch me." "Oh honey, don't be like that."

Zarabeth began to panic as she felt the pirate tightening his grip on her, pulling her up slightly by her hair.

Jim snapped. With one fluid motion, the cabin boy stood up and kicked the alien's legs out from under him, sending the pirate to the floor in a tangle of his own arms and legs.

Suddenly released, Zara quickly moved away from where the pirate had fallen. She looked up just in time to see Bilge raise his pistol, aiming the firearm at Jim. Anger welled up inside the girl as she instantly leapt at the alien. "Oh no you don't!" Kicking, scratching, and hitting, Zarabeth did everything she could to overtake the bulbous alien.

Stunned by the unexpected action, Bilge's laser pistol was knocked from his hand, flying to land a few yards away.

As abruptly as it had begun, the brawl was suddenly cut short by the sound of a laser pistol being fired three times.

Upon instinct, Zara dropped to the metal floor for cover, the sound of the shots still ringing inside the dome. As the sound faded, the girl was roughly lifted to her feet, restrained by one of Bilge's fatty arms locked securely around the front of her shoulders. Zara looked frantically over to Jim to see that he was being held in a similar manner by the pirate he'd knocked down only moments ago.

The stunned silence of the room was tainted by the sound of Silver's labored limping as the old cyborg approached the prisoners. His face was dark with frustration, a curl of smoke rising from his upheld laser pistol. "What in da blue blazes is goin' on?!" Silver's face twisted in growing annoyance as his eye fell upon the struggling teens. The cyborg's gears clicked and clacked sharply as he made his way over to them. "Now, you two mark me! Try pullin' anot'er stunt like dat and I'll blast ya ta kingdom come! Ya got me?!"

Jim glared at the cyborg, his lips slightly apart as if he were on the verge of saying something.

Noticing the boy's look, Silver casually walked over to face Jim. "Yeh got somet'in' ta say, boy?"

Jim's brows furrowed angrily as he spoke through his teeth. "Ya I do. You can tell your pirate buddies to keep their filthy hands off Zara."

Silver's face relaxed slightly, a smirk forming on his lips. The cyborg chuckled quietly as he stroked the folds of his face. "Dat what's botherin' ya?"

Silver walked a few paces away toward Regulus who was standing idly near the prisoners. The cyborg whispered something to the alien, causing him to smirk evilly. Regulus nodded, confirming that he understood, as he walked toward the two teens.

Jim could hear the mocking tone in Silver's voice as Regulus stood to face the boy. "Now, Jimbo, it may do yeh good ta not care so much...Someone might get hurt."

Regulus chuckled menacingly as he caught the cabin boy in the stomach with one swift punch.

The pirate holding Jim released his hold, letting the boy fall to his hands and knees as he doubled over, clutching at his aching gut, coughing for a good breath.

"Jim!" Zara jolted forward in an effort to escape Bilge's grasp, her voice ringing through the metal walls. Zarabeth struggled furiously to get to Jim's side, but the arm about her wouldn't budge. Blinded by her overwhelming sense of urgency to help him, Zara made a final desperate effort to get free as she sank her teeth into the fatty limb which held her captive.

Bilge let out a blood curdling yell as he released his hold on Zara.

The girl took the small window of opportunity to evade the alien's grasp. Zarabeth rushed over to Jim, trying to help him up to a sitting position as she spoke frantically. "Jim! Jim, are you okay?"

Silver raised his eyebrows nonchalantly as he turned his back to the group. "Anything else, Mr. Hawkins?"

Gritting his teeth, Jim was about to make a reply when the room suddenly reverberated with the small, high-pitched voice of Onus. "Capteeen! The longboat, she starts!"

The alien crew erupted in inhuman cries as they quickly began to carry out Silver's hurried orders.

The old cyborg was yelling this and that at different pirates as he got everyone organized for their departure. "Good man, Onus! Now load up ta firearms, Mr. Turnbuckle! Bilge, Regulus, stow dem prisoners aboard da longboat! Let's go find us some treasure!"


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23:**

The whole planet shone with early afternoon light as the longboat zipped over fields of low moss and fungi. The boat was following the fine green line of light which shone from the open map in Jim's hands, leading them ever closer to Flint's trove.

No one spoke. There was nothing to say. Amelia and Doppler were being held at rifle-point in the very back of the longboat, while Jim, Zarabeth, and B.E.N. were being watched in the front, the ugly pirate crew scattered about them.

Zara squirmed uncomfortably, as she tried to forget about the cold laser pistol which was pointed directly at her, its barrel prodding between her shoulder blades. Silver wanted to make sure that there would be no more trouble from either her or Jim.

The longboat rode on for a quarter of an hour before it finally stopped. They were now in a dense forest of rubbery tubers which grew at least twenty feet above their heads. The pulsing of the green line steadily quickened, pointing the group to head through a wall of the thick plants.

Once more, Silver began barking orders at his crew, his face lit up in excitement and anticipation. "Mr. Bilge will stay here wit' da doc and feline. All of you, come wit' me. Get a move on Jimbo! Keep dat pointed at da lass. Can't 'ave her gettin' in da way again. Let's move out!"

Zara watched as Jim deftly lowered himself from the the longboat to the ground, the drop being a good ten feet. The girl bit her lip nervously as she looked over the railing, the gun at her back forcing her forward. Jim was waiting for her, his hands stretched out, his gentle smile promising that he'd catch her.

The pirate behind her shoved the gun threateningly in her side, a snarl escaping his lips. "Just move already."

Turning her head, Zara gave the alien a nasty look. "Calm down! I'm going!"

Taking a deep breath, the girl let herself drop over the side of the longboat. She was only falling for an instant, before Zara felt Jim's strong hands half catching half guiding her till her feet were firmly on the ground.

Without a word, Jim gave the girl's hand a comforting squeeze before the pirate with the gun urged Zara to walk forward, separating the two.

Zarabeth could hear the low chattering of B.E.N. and Jim behind her, unable to make out what they were saying until the robot's voice yelled out into the stillness, "Was I ever dancing with an android named Lupe?!"

The girl knit her brows in confusion, curious as to what they could possibly be talking about. But she wasn't completely shocked. This was B.E.N. speaking, after all.

Now only a few feet away from the rubbery wall of fungi, Silver changed his mechanical arm into its sword blade form. Turning to his crew, the old cyborg yelled out over them. "We're gettin' close, lads. I smell treasure! Let's go!" Grabbing Jim by his shirt, Silver began to drag the cabin boy behind him as he ruthlessly cut through the thick foliage in front of him. When the path was finally clear, the pirates pushed their way through, onto an empty plateau.

The hopeful and greedy looks of each crew member suddenly turned to confusion and panic.

The group was standing on the edge of a cliff which looked over a gray metal ravine which stretched out for miles on all sides. The green beam of light pulsed out in front of them until its end disappeared just in front of the cliff, coming to a stop in midair.

Mr. Turnbuckle was the first to break the stunned silence. "Where is it?!"

Mr. Onus threw his little hands in the air, his six eyes bulging as he spoke. "I see notheeeng! One great, big, stinkeeeng hunk of notheeeng!"

The group mumbled their agreement as they each looked about in bewilderment.

Just as everyone thought the situation couldn't get more puzzling, the green light suddenly retreated back into the globe in Jim's hands. The boy frantically began pressing buttons, trying to wrench the map back open.

Silver furiously clomped over to where Jim was standing, his massive form looming over the boy. "What's goin' on Jimbo?"

Jim continued to try to force the map open as he replied. "I don't know! I can't get it open!"

The decibel level of the crew's mumbling steadily grew, until everyone was shouting at once.

"You'd best get that gizmo goin' again!"

"We should have never followed this boy!"

One of the pirates knocked Jim hard in the back, sending the boy suddenly to his knees near the edge of the precipice.

"Jim!" Zara moved forward in an attempt to get to him, but was silenced at the firm presence of the pistol against the back of her neck and a massive hand on her shoulder.

"Let's spill his guts!"

"Slice him!"

"Throw him over cliff!"

Zarabeth watched in growing panic as the pirates steadily grew closer to where Jim knelt. Just as she thought they were going to get ahold of the cabin boy, a blinding green light pierced the gray of the atmosphere. The girl squinted in surprise at the unexpected flash. As soon as the light had faded, Zara's jaw dropped slightly in unbelief at what she was seeing.

From the far edges of the ravine floor, green lines of light slowly made their way to conjoin as one just in front of where Jim knelt. Jim had placed the map in a divot on the ground, the map's shape fitting perfectly into the metal slot. From where the map lay, a holographic image slowly appeared. A spherical map of swirling dots, circles, and odd shapes made itself distinguishable, it's form a foot and a half in diameter.

The green line at the edge of the cliff suddenly opened up, almost like a giant door, until it made a large triangle opening over the precipice. The door-like opening displayed an image, but not that of the metal ravine before them. The image was that of a large blue nebula surrounded by calm, star-filled Etherium.

Silence ensued once more, until Silver finally found his voice to speak. "Oh 'ave mercy..."

Jim spoke in disbelief as he stood, looking up at the massive door before him. "The Lagoon Nebula?"

The old cyborg stroked the folds of his face in thought, trying to process what he was seeing. "But dat's 'alf way across de galaxy..."

Jim tentatively reached his hand out to touch the holographic map in front of him. Pressing one of the small sphere images, the door closed and reopened, this time displaying a busy planet delivery port. Jim's face lit up as he spoke. "Let's see. Cayan Abyss, Montressor Spaceport." The door now looked over the bustling man-made crescent moon of Montressor's transport station. "So that's how Flint did it. He used this portal to roam the galaxy stealing treasure."

Silver shoved the boy to the side, his face twisted with impatience as he hurriedly began pressing random planets and nebulas. "But where'd he stash it all?!"

A few feet to her right, Zara suddenly noticed that B.E.N. was wringing his metal hands through some loose wiring at the back of his head. The robot strained in concentration. "Treasure. Treasure! It's buried in the-"

Jim suddenly interrupted B.E.N. as his eyes grew wide in understanding. "Buried in the centroid of the mechanism. What if this whole planet is the mechanism? And the treasure is buried in the center of this planet?"

The pirate crew, who had been quiet till now, suddenly sprang into life as they began clawing at the ground, slamming their shovels and pick-axes at the metal surface. The group stopped their hurried frenzy as they quickly realized that their tools were getting them nowhere.

Silver's frustration only grew as he yelled down at the cabin boy. "And how in da blue blazes are we s'possed ta get der?!"

His voice even and calm, Jim slowly brought his hand down on one of the holographic images, the one displaying Treasure Planet. "Just open the right door."


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24:**

Silence. The group of pirates and prisoners looked on in silence at what was before them. No one moved. The overwhelming scene before them left them silent and still.

Jim was the first to recover. Zara watched as the boy reached his hand out toward the portal door. Seeing that he was able to pass through the filmy surface of the entrance, Jim took a large step forward, passing completely through it.

He was hardly inside before Silver reached his mechanical hand to grab the boy's shoulder, halting him from moving any farther. The cyborg stepped into the entrance, pushing himself past where Jim stood.

Slowly and silently, the rest of the group moved forward until no one was left on the cliff.

Zara felt as if she were in a trance. The view before her was beyond what she could ever have imagined.

They were now standing in a vast chasm of a room. Except for the small platform which they stood on, the main floor was a massive sphere, at least a half mile wide, dented with holes of various sizes. Metal stalactites protruded from every angle of the room, its ends shooting laser bolts into the holes of the sphere, creating some type of gravitational pull which gradually spun the sphere, suspending it in midair.

What truly amazed them was not the room itself, but what covered the surface of the spinning globe before them. Every square inch was completely littered with gold, precious jewels, chests of jewelry, and weapons of precious metals.

Simultaneously, each pirate erupted in cheers of overwhelmed happiness and excitement. Like a mad mob, they took off in different directions to start their inspection of the vast horde beneath them.

Within an instant, only Silver, B.E.N., Jim, and Zara were left standing on the low platform.

Morph slowly emerged from the cabin boy's pocket, where he'd been hiding this whole time. The little pink shape-shifter began to fly excitedly about the platform upon seeing the treasure below.

Zarabeth's voice was hushed in bewilderment as she spoke unconsciously. "It's incredible."

Silver finally found his voice to speak, his arms stretched out wide as if to embrace the riches he saw. "The loot of a thousand worlds..." The cyborg walked to the edge of the platform, his eyes glowing in wonder.

B.E.N.'s voice sounded distracted and muffled as he scratched the top of his rusty flat head. "This is all seeming...very familiar."

Zara was wrenched out of her dream-like state as she felt Jim gently lay his hand on her shoulder. The boy lowered his voice to a hushed whisper as he leaned in close to the girl's ear. "Zara, come on."

Taking her hand in his, Jim carefully looked around, making sure that no one was watching them. He motioned for B.E.N. and Morph to follow him as he quickly walked to the left edge of the platform. Jim tried to lower himself as quietly as possible down onto the floor of uneven coins and jewels so as not to draw the pirates' attentions.

Holding his hands out to help Zarabeth down, Jim could hear B.E.N. trying to get his attention as the robot reached the edge. "Jimmy, but Jimmy, wait-"

Jim hurriedly put a finger to his lips, trying to keep B.E.N. quiet. "We're gettin' out of here, and we're not leaving empty handed."

Confused as to what they were doing, something suddenly caught Zara's eye. About thirty feet away, resting idly atop the golden spoils, was a small ship, its deck spilling over with gold. It was larger than a longboat, but smaller than the Legacy.

Hand-in-hand, Zara and Jim quietly made their way over to the ship, B.E.N. and Morph trailing close behind. Once alongside the flightless craft, Jim hoisted himself up onto the deck.

"Up ya go, Bethers!" B.E.N. crouched down in a tight bundle, letting Zara use him as a step-stool so that Jim could help her up the rest of the way.

The girl cringed slightly as she felt her injured arm pull under the effort to get on the deck, but it quickly subsided once she was safely aboard. She watched as the cabin boy helped B.E.N. up to complete their little group.

Teetering on the railing, the robot let out a cry of alarm as he tumbled onto the deck.

Jim whipped his head about, trying to see what had startled B.E.N., when his eyes fell upon the reason. "Captain Flint?"

Getting off of his face, B.E.N.'s voice quivered slightly as he spoke. "In the flesh!"

Zara quickly turned her head, to see what they were gawking at. Propped up against the single mast was a throne-like chair. Sitting in its seat was an alien skeleton, the shredded clothes of a vagabond hung on its decaying body.

B.E.N. dusted himself off as he stood, "Well, sort of. Except for skin, organs, or anything that resembles flesh that's not there."

Jim slowly approached Flint's skeletal form, looking the notorious pirate over in curiosity.

Morph flew frantically about Zara's face, his body fluttering in fear. The girl tried to grab the blob to keep him calm. "Morph, Morph, its ok. He's not alive. Calm down."

The shape-shifter took a few exhausted breaths before landing to rest on Zarabeth's shoulder.

B.E.N. was rambling off this and that to himself as he wrung his wires in his hands. "But you know what, it's so odd. I feel like there was something terrible, something Flint didn't want anyone to know. Oh the mind is a terrible thing to lose!"

The girl looked up just as Jim tore something from the skeleton's outstretched hand, snapping the brittle bones clean off. Jim held his find up to get a better look at it.

In his hand was some sort of metal plate, a single circuit board on one side. Jim looked from the metal to B.E.N., then back at the plate. "B.E.N., I think I just found your mind!" Jim ran over to where the robot stood as he got ready to cover the loose wires hanging aimlessly from B.E.N.'s head.

The robot twitched uncomfortably as he spoke. "J-Jimmy, your hands are very c-c-cold back there-"

The metal plate snapped into place as B.E.N. was still speaking. The robot's head spun around once, his usual electrical green-screened eyes flickering until they changed to a bright blue. "Woah-ah there! You know Jimmy, I was just thinking...I was thinking! Oh this is great! All my memories! I remember everything! Right up until Flint pulled my memory circuit so that I could never tell anyone about his booby trap!"


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25:**

As if on cue, the whole room gave a violent jolt as an explosion erupted just above where one of the metal stalactites hung from the ceiling.

"Speaking of which..." B.E.N. threw his arms over his flat head in panic as he yelled out. "Flint wanted to make sure that no one could ever steal his treasure. So he rigged this whole planet to blow higher than a Kalepsian Kite!"

The robot had hardly finished his sentence before the massive tube of metal came crashing down to wedge itself in the spherical floor. The shattering impact sent gold and jewels flying every which way as the floor began to break apart. The other stalactites continued to shoot their laser bolts at the sphere, but were now burning through its surface.

The startled pirates were frantically running in every direction, trying to avoid the deadly beams and scurry around the cliffs which were quickly forming as the floor broke away into separate platforms. The treasure was quickly tumbling over the edges into the core of the sphere, which swirled red-hot with bubbling lava.

Jim instantly leapt into action. Running toward the control panel at the helm of the boat, Jim threw himself onto the floor to get to the wiring beneath the panel. Jim was yelling orders to B.E.N. and Zara as he tried to be heard above the din that filled the massive room. "You guys go back to help the captain and Doc! If I'm not back in five minutes, leave without me!"

Taking the cabin boy by his feet, B.E.N. pulled Jim out from under the panel. "I am not leaving my best buddy Jimmy!"

The cold glare on Jim's face completely caught the robot off guard as B.E.N.'s eyes went wide in astonishment. "Unless of course he looks at me like that. Bye Jim!"

B.E.N. scurried in a jumble of metal limbs to get off the ship as quickly as possible.

A determined look on her face, Zarabeth leaned down to get Jim's attention. "Tell me what to do."

Jim poked his head out from beneath the ledge as he continued working without looking. "I told you what to do! Go help B.E.N.!"

"No sir, I'm not leaving! Now, tell me what to do!"

Jim's face stiffened in anxiousness. "Zarabeth, I told you..." The boy bit his lip in a mental struggle before his face relaxed into a mischievous smile. "Fine. Okay, when I say 'go', pull down that lever to my right. Got it?"

Zara smiled as she waved her hand in a mock salute. "Aye aye Captain."

Jim continued reattaching wires and pressing buttons until he finally pulled out from under the panel. "Ok go!"

Zara pulled hard on the rusted lever. The ship gave a quick jerk as the engines fired into life, the ship lifting from the golden floor to float idly in the air.

Morph gave a cry of delight as he swirled about the deck.

Jim scrambled to the helm as he began to turn the ship around, working quickly to avoid being hit by one of the laser beams. "Yes! We are so out of here!"

Zara looked quickly over the edge of the deck, relieved to see that they were, in fact, moving. "Jim, you did it!" Looking up over her shoulder, movement at the opposite end of the ship caught the girl's attention.

A familiar voice rang across the ship as a figure came into view. "Well done, Jimbo! Ain't yeh ta seventh wonder of de universe!"

Fear overwhelming her senses, Zara stumbled back toward Jim until she was standing right next to the boy.

As Silver steadily walked closer to where the two stood, Jim instinctively positioned himself in front of Zarabeth, pushing her behind him until her back was against the wheel. Pulling a long sword from out of a pile of nearby treasure, Jim swung it awkwardly till it rested only inches from the cyborg's gut. "Get back!"

Zara clung tightly to the back of Jim's shirt as she watched the expression on Silver's face darken. "I like yeh lad. I like yeh both. But I've come too far ta let yeh stand between me and ma treasure." The cyborg slowly inched closer.

Silver's advances pushed the boy further and further until he and Zara were pinned with their backs against the helm, no escape in sight. Jim gradually lowered the blade in his hands. Zara knew Jim couldn't hurt him. He still cared too much about the cyborg.

Silver's face twisted into a menacing smirk. The cyborg opened his mouth to speak, but was cut short unexpectedly.

Zara gave a cry of alarm as she felt herself being thrown forward helplessly as the boat was hit side-long by one of the laser beams.

The girl continued to scream as she fell over the railing, landing hard on her back as she began to slide down the incline of one of the splitting platforms. Zara desperately pressed her hands and heels to the metal floor as she tried to force herself to a stop, her mind reeling in panic. Her body ceased its descent only a foot from the abrupt edge.

Zara's relief was quickly shattered as she saw Jim fall right past her, unable to stop his motion. "Jim!" The girl cried out in horror as she watched Jim hit the wall of the platform opposite her, his hands latched desperately around a shallow square ledge, jutting out from the middle of the wall. Zara scrambled to her hands and knees, as she tried to keep her balance while stretching her right hand out to grab Jim. "Jim! Hold on!"

His eyes desperate with fear and panic, Jim reached as far as he dared for Zara's outstretched hand. "I-I can't!"

Zarabeth leaned, further still, over the edge. "Jim!"

Suddenly, a figure lumbered up beside Zara. Silver had his mechanical arm latched around the railing of the boat with a clamp, trying to save the riches on its deck, his other hand stretched out to save the cabin boy. The cyborg's voice was strained with the effort as he called out. "Reach for me lad!"

Their hands only inches apart, Jim suddenly lost his grip as the ledge at his fingers retreated back into the wall.

"Nooo!" Zara's eyes stung with tears as she watched Jim tumble down the side of the wall, his hands grabbing ahold of another slowly retracting ledge a few feet lower.

Forgetting her own danger, Zara nearly flung herself head-long toward the struggling boy, but was caught around her shoulders by Silver's strong arm. "No lass!"

Zara's eyes were pleading as she grabbed at the cyborg. "Silver, you have to get him! Please!"

The cyborg looked longingly up at the treasure filled boat, then down at Jim, his face riddled with an internal struggle. Gritting his teeth, Silver yelled out, convincing himself of his decision. "Blast me for a fool!" With that, Silver released his mechanical clamp from the railing, throwing himself toward the platform's edge.

Zara listened helplessly, frozen in fear, watching Jim yell out as his fingers slowly slipped. "Jiiim!"

Just as the cabin boy began to fall, Silver reached out, latching his hand firmly around Jim's arm. "I got yeh lad, I got yeh." The cyborg grit his teeth as he swung Jim back to the safety of the platform.

As soon as he had regained his balance, Zara threw her arms about Jim in relief.

Jim returned the embrace, his face buried in her thick hair. "I'm okay. I'm here."

A sound of splintering wood caught everyone's attention as they looked up just in time to see the laser beam slice through the boat.

Wood and treasure flew everywhere as Zarabeth felt Jim leaning over her, protecting her from the debris.

That was that. The treasure was gone.

Without a word, the three began running across the spinning platforms, little Morph zipping eagerly behind, only stopping till they'd all jumped through the portal door back onto the cliff.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26:**

Almost completely out of breath, Jim finally tried to speak once they were out of the portal. "Silver, you gave up the-?"

The old cyborg waved his hand to stop the boy as he wiped the perspiration from his face. "Tis a lifelong obsession lad, I'll get over it."

Breathing heavily, Zara had to smile as she knelt on the cold ground. That was the Silver she knew and loved.

A metallic voice rang out from somewhere above them as the group tried to regain their energy. "Aloha Jimmy! Good to see ya Bethers!" There was B.E.N., aboard the Legacy, pulling up alongside them with Delbert at the helm.

As they were helped aboard, Zara could hear Amelia's authoritative voice instructing from behind the doctor. "You're doing fine. Now, ease her over gentl-gently!"

Once on board, Zarabeth collapsed to the deck, leaning against the rail in mental and physical exhaustion. Jim sat down next to her without a word, pulling her close so that Zara's head was resting against his chest.

Zara smiled as she continued to breathe heavily. "We're gonna make it," she thought in relief.

Silver threw himself halfway up the stairs as he tipped his hat to Amelia. "Captain, you dropped from the heavens in the nick of time-"

The feline captain suddenly stood, her words ringing across the deck as she interrupted the cyborg. "You can save your clap-trap for the judge, Silver."

Silver laughed uneasily, rubbing the folds of his cheeks distractedly as Morph flew about his face.

The Legacy was quickly turned around as it began its escape of the exploding planet. Chunks of its surface began pulling apart, flying about in unexpected directions. The ship was a good half mile from the portal door, when a chunk of debris flew overhead, crashing through the Mizzen sails as it sent that part of the mast hurtling towards the deck.

Zara let out a cry of alarm as she tried to avoid the wood that was quickly falling toward her and Jim. The girl felt Jim's strong hand urging her forward out of danger.

The two scrambled out of the way just as the mast came crashing down on top of the ship's laser cannon a few feet behind them, sparks and metal flying over that portion of the deck.

B.E.N.'s frantic voice suddenly caught everyone's attention. "Mizzen sails immobilized Captain! Ship's thrusters at only thirty percent capacity!"

"Thirty percent?" Doctor Doppler's face scrunched in calculation until his eyes widened. "We'll never clear the planet's explosion in time..."

Zara bit her lip as she looked up at Doppler, hoisting herself off of the deck. Turning her head to the rail, Zara saw that Jim was leaning far over its edge, looking behind the ship.

His voice steadily rose as his eyes lit up with an idea. "We've gotta turn around!"

Amelia's ears perked at this unexpected statement, her eyes dilating at its absurdness. "What?"

Jim hurriedly ran toward the shattered laser cannon as he began moving the debris around. "There's a portal back there! It can get us out of here!"

Doppler cleared his throat nervously. "Pardon me, Jim, but doesn't that portal open up onto a raging inferno?!"

Jim hoisted a long, thin chunk of metal from below the fallen mast, testing its weight in his hands before setting it aside. "Yes, but I'm gonna change that! I'm gonna open a different door!"

Suddenly understanding what Jim was driving at, Silver leapt into action, helping Jim create a surfer with the scrap of metal and the cannon's thruster.

B.E.N.'s voice rang shrilly across the deck as Zara helped Jim and Silver hoist the board to balance atop the thick railing. "One minute and twenty-nine seconds till planet's destruction!"

Silver kept the board steady while Jim adjusted himself to balance on its metal surface. His voice was calm and determined as he fit his foot securely in a small groove for support. "Now, no matter what happens, keep heading straight for that portal!" Silver nodded his assent as Jim looked down at Zara.

The girl was biting her lip, her eyes filled with worry and uneasiness, knowing what Jim had to do.

Jim hurriedly planted a small kiss atop the girl's head. "Be right back." Without another word, Jim slammed his foot down on the thruster, the makeshift board revving to life as it flew off the railing of the Legacy.

Zarabeth watched anxiously as Jim began zipping through chunks of the exploding planet, sometimes missing collisions by only a few feet.

Silver threw his arms up in determination as he yelled up to the captain and doc. "Well yeh heard ta lad! Turn dis blasted heap around!"

Delbert looked questioningly at Amelia before receiving her consent.

As the ship spun toward its new course, Zara climbed the stairs to the upper deck to stand against the railing near Amelia and Doppler. She tried to follow Jim's progress through the maze of debris, but there were moments where she couldn't see him. Even though Amelia was doing her best to help guide the doctor, it was hard to not be frightened knowing that their lives rested in the inexperienced flying skills of Delbert.

For one of the first times in her life, Zara realized that she was witnessing Amelia lose her temper. The girl laughed quietly at the situation unfolding behind her as Amelia yelled at Delbert. "Now to the right-no right!"

The doctor whipped his head around, his brown face tinted red with frustration. "I know! I know! Will you just let me drive?!"

The look on the captain's face was one of shock and astonishment. No one had ever really yelled or talked back to her before.

Zara smiled in spite of the situation, one thought asserting itself in her mind, "Cute couple, they'd be a really cute couple."

The Legacy continued to maneuver through the chaos exploding around them. Jim was still making his way closer and closer to the portal. The ship was flying close behind the cabin boy as they approached a steep cliff, its depths revealing the planet's fiery core.

They were so close to the portal now, Zara dared to let herself believe that they were going to make it. This feeling of security was suddenly ripped from the girl. Something was wrong.

Jim was just flying over the ravine when the fire in his thrusters sputtered until it died. The boy kicked frantically at the starter as he tried to get it working again.

Zara held her breath in anticipation as she helplessly watched Jim lose altitude, quickly falling down the far edge of the ravine.

In desperation, the boy turned his board to scrape the thruster against the metal wall, sparks flying from the grinding impact.

Zara gripped the railing beneath her hands, a whisper escaping her lips as she watched Jim struggle to regain control of his board. "Come on, Jim. Come on."

Suddenly, the thruster burst back into life. With newfound speed, Jim flew upward, passed beneath the ship, his hand outstretched to open the portal to a new location.

B.E.N. counted down as everyone braced themselves for a possible collision. "Five, four, three, two-"

The image before them changed, revealing the calm blue skies surrounding the crescent of the Montressor Spaceport.

With a deafening 'boom', the Legacy flew forward, fire and debris exploding behind them as they narrowly escaped into friendly space.

Zarabeth released her grip from the railing as she let out her pent-up breath. She thought the Etherium had never looked so beautiful in all its stillness.

Jim let out a victorious whoop as he passed over the deck with his surfer.

Silver threw his arm out toward the boy as he cheered. "Didn't I say ta lad had greatness in 'im!"

Morph exploded into fireworks and confetti as Jim made a second pass over the deck, jumping from the board, letting it fly out into the Etherium as he landed safely on his feet.

Zara ran down the short stairs to the deck, being met halfway by Jim. Zara let out a cry of delight as she felt herself being lifted off the ground, the world around her swirling as she found herself being spun in Jim's arms. Her feet now back on the deck, Zarabeth looked up into the boy's face. His smile was so happy, so relieved, and so full of love.

Zara let out a surprised gasp as she suddenly felt Jim's lips catch hers. Jim's hand behind her head made it impossible for her to pull away from his sweet touch. Zarabeth soon let the feelings of ecstasy overcome her as she lost herself in the kiss.

The girl's cheeks reddened slightly as their contact ended, realizing that everyone was still on deck, probably watching them. Zara laughed at her own feelings of insecurity as she looked back into Jim's crystal-blue eyes.

Jim turned Zarabeth so that they were standing side-by-side, his arm about her waist as he saw Delbert and Amelia approaching them.

The feline captain's ears perked, a gentle smile crossing her lips as she praised Jim's plan of escape. "Unorthodox, but ludicrously effective. I'd be proud to recommend you to the Interstellar Academy. They could use a man like you."

Delbert patted Jim on the back proudly. "Just wait till your mother hears about this!" Then in a more hushed tone as he walked away, "Of course, we may have to downplay some of the life-threatening parts."

Jim chuckled softly, nodding in agreement as he turned to look back down at the girl beneath his arm.

Zara met Jim's gaze, her smile suddenly tinted with uncertainty as she whispered up to him. "I'll be right back. I gotta do something."

Jim was a little confused but smiled reassuringly as he released his arm from about Zara's waist. "Ok."

Trying to mirror his reassuring look, Zara pulled away from Jim's side as she made her way across the deck to where Amelia and Doppler were standing, their backs to her. The girl had to smile as she saw them, noticing that Delbert's arm was resting around Amelia's shoulders. Maybe there was something to them after all.

Zarabeth cleared her throat to announce her presence as she came up behind the two. Turning their heads, both the captain and Delbert smiled upon seeing the girl. Zara tried to keep her voice from shaking as she spoke, wringing her hands behind her back nervously. "If I may, I'd like a word with Amelia please?"

Delbert's face was gentle as he nodded. "Of course you may. Please excuse me then."

Amelia was smiling, but Zara could see the worry in her feline eyes as she spoke. "What's on your mind, Zarabeth?"

Zara took a deep breath to urge herself on to speak. "Forgive me, ma'am, if you find this an impertinent question, but it's been on my mind for a long time. I know it should be none of my concern, but after we get back, are you scheduled for any more voyages?"

Amelia let out a small sigh as her ears relaxed. "Is that all? No, of course it's not an impertinent question. And the answer is no, not for a few months at the least." Amelia paused for a moment before continuing. "Is this about Mr. Hawkins?"

Zara looked down at her feet in embarrassment as she nodded. After a few seconds of silence, the girl felt her head being raised gently. Looking into Amelia's feline eyes, Zara didn't see any anger or frustration, but a sad kindness.

"My dear, all I've ever wanted was for you to be happy. At one time, your happiness was to simply gallivant across the galaxy with me, but I knew things would change one day. This is that day."

Happiness threatening to overwhelm her, Zara threw her arms unexpectedly around Amelia.

Caught by surprise, the captain stood there for a moment before returning the embrace. "You're as dear to me as a sister, Zarabeth. I'd do anything I could for you."

Tears threatened to escape the girl's eyes as she felt Amelia hug her in return. "Thank you, Amelia."

Stepping apart, the captain straightened out her uniform as she spoke, resuming her authoritative, yet kind, tone. "It's settled then. Until I'm chartered for another voyage, we shall stay on Montressor. You may see Mr. Hawkins as often as you are obliged. I will most likely not be needing your services often. Now if that is all, I have a ship to dock. You're excused, Zarabeth." The captain smiled sweetly as she slowly made her way back to the upper deck.

Zara closed her eyes, tipping her head back as she let out a content sigh, relieved at how things were working out.

The girl opened her eyes, looking about the deck to find Jim, but was confused upon realizing that he wasn't on deck. A second glance revealed that Silver was also missing. An idea of where they were instantly came to Zara as she tried to walk casually to one of the sets of stairs leading into the bowels of the ship. As she walked through the maze of hallways, Zarabeth thought she could make out voices. Slowing her pace, she approaching the longboat bay. Carefully poking her head around the corner, Zara saw that Silver and Jim were talking quietly, their backs to her. Morph was floating idly about their heads.

Taking care not to be noticed, the girl hid behind one of the wooden support beams as she listened in on what they were saying.

Silver's was the first that Zara could make out. "If yeh don't mind, we'd just as soon avoid prison for little Morphy here. He-he's a free spirit! Bein' in a cage, it'd break his little heart."

Zara smiled as she leaned her head against the wood at her back. She knew Silver was really describing himself.

A loud 'click' filled the room as the longboat hatch slowly opened from somewhere behind the girl.

Jim was letting Silver go. He'd saved both of their lives in one way or another. Now they could return the favor.

The old cyborg continued to speak to the cabin boy. "What's say yeh ship out wi't us lad? Hawkins and Silver! Full of ourselves with no ties ta anyone!"

There was a small pause before Jim finally replied. "Ya know, when I got on this boat, I would've taken you up on that offer in a second. But...uh, I met this old cyborg, and he taught me that I could chart my own course."

"And what da ya see off dat bow of yours?"

"A future."

Zara let out a small sigh in contentment as she listened to Jim. She was so proud of him.

Silver's voice was broken and strained, as if he were trying hard not to cry. "Look at ya. Glowin' like a solar fire. Yer somethin' special, Jim. Yer gonna rattle da stars yeh are."

It was silent for a moment before Silver spoke up again, catching Zarabeth off guard. "An' don't t'ink I haven't seen ya der lass."

She'd been caught. Zara stepped quietly out from behind the beam. Jim and Silver were just pulling away from a hug as she did.

The cyborg stretched his arms out wide, eager to hug the girl goodbye.

With tears in her eyes, Zara ran to Silver, immediately enveloped in his warm embrace. "I'm gonna miss you Silver."

His eye filled with worry, Silver looked down at the girl in his arms. "Zara, could ya ever forgive me?"

Raising her head to meet his gaze, Zarabeth's smile was gentle. "I already have. Thank you for everything."

The cyborg pulled Zara close to him, wrapping his arm about Jim as he did, till they were in a tight knot beneath, Silver's arms. After a few seconds, Silver released his hold on the teens as he turned around, his tone matter-of-fact. "Got a bit o' grease in dis old cyborg eye of mine."

Jim and Zara looked at each other knowingly as they wiped their own eyes.

Morph slowly fluttered between the two as his eyes spilled over in tears, melting into a watery puddle in Jim's hands as he let out a sorrowful cry.

Jim raised his hands to eye level as he tried to comfort the shape-shifter. "Hey Morph, it's ok. We'll see ya 'round."

Morph rose from the boy's hands, returning to his normal form as he repeated sadly, "See ya 'round." Chirping his goodbye, the shape-shifter licked at the boy's face before Zara pulled the pink blob toward her to kiss his little cheek. Flying back to rest on Silver's shoulder, Morph looked longingly down at the teens.

Silver sighed heavily before pulling the shape-shifter to rest on his finger. "Morphy, I gotta job fer ya. I need ya ta keep an eye on dees here pups for me." The cyborg looked down at Morph with a sad smile. "Will ya do me dat f-favor?"

Morph chirped in delight as he nuzzled the cyborg's cheek. After licking Silver's face, the shape-shifter flew happily around Jim and Zara's heads until he landed softly down on Jim's hand.

Jim wrapped his free hand around Zarabeth's waist as he pulled her close.

The two watched in a mixture of feelings as Silver climbed into the longboat. The boat was beginning it's decent when Silver's face lit up. "Oh and one more t'ing! Jimbo, here's for yer dear mother, ta rebuild that inn of hers." Silver reached into his pocket before tossing a small handful of gold and jewels up to Jim.

The boy looked down at the treasure in his hand before calling down to Silver just as the cables released the longboat into space. "Stay out of trouble, you old scalawag."

The old cyborg laughed jovially as he tipped his hat. "Jimbo! When have I ever done otherwise?"

The longboat zipped out of sight, leaving Jim and Zara alone with Morph in the bay staring out at the swirling Etherium below.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27:**

"He's gone." Zarabeth stared blankly out into the sky of stars below her.

"Yeah. But I have a feeling we'll see him again." Jim looked down at the few golden coins, rings, and jewels in his hand before stuffing them in his pocket. The boy walked behind Zara, wrapping his arms about her shoulders. "So what do we do now?"

"We dock in an hour. You'll go home to your mother, and I'll follow Amelia."

Jim turned the girl to face him. "You know that's not what I mean."

Zara looked down at the boards beneath her feet, swallowing hard before looking back up to answer. "Jim, you and I both know that what Silver gave you isn't nearly enough to help get your mom back on her feet and to free me. Amelia doesn't have another voyage for a while, and she agreed that we could stay on Montressor until she does. That's gonna have to be enough, for now."

Jim released a deflating sigh as he pulled the hair up from his eyes. "But when Amelia is hired again...uh...Look, if I talk to my mom, she'll understand why-"

"Jim stop." Zarabeth spoke slowly, as if instructing a child, as she tried to get him to understand. "Your mom needs to be your first priority right now. She needs you. Take care of her, and don't worry about me. I'm safe as long as I'm with Amelia. And if I have to go, it'll only be for a few months at a time. It's just how it has to be. I was foolish to let myself hope for anything more."

Jim sighed again as he let his forehead rest against Zara's. "To dream of a better life? To hope for freedom, a future? There's nothing foolish about that."

The two stood there in silence for a minute before Jim spoke again. "No matter what, I love you, I will always find you, and, when the time comes for you to be free, I will come for you. Till then, I'll be spending every free second I have with you until you have to leave. Got it?"

Zara smiled as she felt Jim plant a small kiss on the tip of her nose. "Got it."

Returning the smile, Jim pulled away slightly as he glanced down at Zara's left arm. "Now, let's go get that bandage changed so you can get cleaned up before we dock. I want you to look perfect when you meet my mom."

Zara scrunched her nose jokingly as she replied. "James Hawkins, are you saying that I don't look good enough for your mom?"

Jim laughed as he tried to answer. "No, no, you always look beautiful. But, you also look like you've been through a near death experience. Keep my mom on a need-to-know basis about the details of this trip for as long as possible, ya know?"

The two continued to laugh as they walked hand-in-hand out of the longboat bay.

After wrapping a fresh bandage around her injured arm, Zarabeth went down to her room to get her things together before they landed. Putting on a fresh blouse, leggings, and skirt, Zara looked herself over in the misty mirror on the wardrobe door as she tried to smooth out her hair. It felt so good to be in clean clothes again.

The closer they got to docking, the more nervous Zarabeth grew, knowing that she was about to meet Jim's mother. She hoped Sarah would like her. If she was even close to how Jim described her, Zara knew she'd be wonderful, but it would still come as quite a shock.

Joining everyone else on deck, the girl quickly spotted Jim leaning over the railing on the port side of the ship. He was looking down at all the people and boats bustling about the spaceport below them. Zara quietly stood beside him, watching the organized chaos on the surface of the man-made crescent moon.

Jim tipped his head back, closing his eyes as he took in a deep breath. "It's good to be home."

Zara leaned in close to the cabin boy, her head resting against his shoulder. "Who could have guessed a few months ago that we'd end up here like this."

Jim's face wore a satisfied half smile as he nodded in agreement. "It was a crazy trip." Turning now to face Zarabeth, Jim pushed a few pieces of hair away from the girl's face as they fluttered lazily in the breeze. "But I wouldn't have changed a thing."

Zara laughed quietly as she answered in sarcasm. "Not even the mutiny, the kidnapping, or the fact that we lost most of the treasure?"

Jim scrunched his nose jokingly. "Nope. Not a thing."

Before long, the Legacy was in the process of docking. Since Amelia was short a crew, the spaceport gladly helped provide other spacers to help with the ship's landing.

Soon, the gangplank was being lowered, the small group happy to be back on firm ground. Amelia and Delbert had some final things to take care of, with B.E.N. more than willing to accompany them. Zara was going to go with Jim to meet up with his mother. Everyone would be back together that night for dinner at Delbert's house. Since the ransacking of the inn had left Jim and Sarah homeless, Delbert had offered them rooms to stay in in his mansion until the inn could be rebuilt.

Clinging tightly to Jim's hand, Zara's excitement steadily grew as they walked through the ever-moving maze of people crowding the streets and boardwalks. So as not to get lost, Morph sat quietly atop Zara's shoulder, his eyes large with wonder at everything he saw. Zarabeth would glance down every so often to make sure the shape-shifter was still there.

They were supposed to meet Mrs. Hawkins near the Montressor transport docks. As soon as they'd made it to that portion of the spaceport, Zarabeth was quickly overwhelmed by the number of people around them. Since she had no idea what Sarah looked like, Zara could only watch Jim as he turned his head this way and that in search for his mother.

Suddenly, Jim's face lit up as he pulled Zara through the crowd of people towards a woman in a blue dress wearing a light tan bonnet.

Zarabeth's stomach was doing cartwheels as she realized that this was the moment she'd been waiting for.

Letting go of Zara, Jim gently laid his hand on his mom's shoulder, getting her attention before surrounding her in his arms.

Zara couldn't help but smile as she watched the sweet reunion. Sarah Hawkins was a beautiful woman with long brown hair, standing only a few inches shorter than her son. Zarabeth could see some of her fine features in Jim, but what struck her as most similar were their eyes. They were the same gentle blue, full of life and love. Mrs. Hawkins looked so happy to have Jim back in her arms.

Morph flew happily up between the mother and son, buzzing about excitedly as he made his presence known.

Pulling away from his mom, Jim took Zara firmly by the hand, leading her over to face Sarah.

The girl bit her lip nervously as she smiled, feeling almost shy as she carefully watched Sarah's face.

Jim rested his hand against her back as he introduced her to Mrs. Hawkins. "Mom, I'd like you to meet someone very special to me. This is Zarabeth Hartfit. Zara, this is my mom Sarah."

Mrs. Hawkins looked from the girl to Jim, then back at Zara. Stunned for only a moment, Sarah suddenly understood as a radiant smile lit up her face. "Oh my gracious. This is wonderful! Oh my dear girl I'm so glad to meet you!"

Zara was caught off guard as she was suddenly surrounded by Sarah's warm embrace. Her heart spilling over with happiness and contentment as Zarabeth returned the hug.

Pulling away, Mrs. Hawkins looked completely satisfied. "You have no idea how happy this makes me! We have so much to talk about! Oh but that can wait till we get to Delbert's. You two must be pretty tired. But I want to hear everything tonight at dinner."

Zara looked over at Jim, a mischievous smile on her face as she mouthed a single word to him, "Everything."

Jim rolled his eyes as he smiled back, his words mumbled as he picked up his and Zara's bags. "We'll give her the under exaggerated version."


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28:**

Sitting between Jim and his mom on the airbus, Zarabeth wrung her hands in anticipation as she looked out the window a seat to her right. The planet below them was a dark muddled color, with countless canyons and ravines breaking through its surface. Zara could see a group of lights, the lights of the town Benbow, on a plateau a few miles from them.

Seeing how fidgety she was, Jim gently pulled one of the girl's hands inside of his own, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We're almost there."

Every few minutes, Sarah would turn her head casually to observe the two teens beside her. She still could hardly believe it. A few months ago, she'd let her son go flying across the galaxy, not knowing what to expect at his return. Whatever she'd thought he'd bring back, Jim coming home with a girl hadn't even remotely crossed her imagination. But there she was, Zarabeth. Sarah saw a look in Jim's eyes which couldn't be confused for any other, he looked at the girl next to him with a love so pure and gentle, a love that was true.

As the airbus steadily lost altitude, Zara felt her whole body go rigid with excitement. This was the beginning of something new and amazing. It was the beginning of her life as someone who no longer felt like a slave, regardless that she still was. For the first time, the girl's heart felt free.

Taking Zarabeth gently by the arm, Sarah led her down from the airbus platform to walk out into the street while Jim got their two bags.

Zara looked around in fascination at the new world around her. The houses and shops on every part of the street were built in the Tudor style giving everything a raw, earthy feel. As the lamps lining the road were turned on one by one, the clouded sky above them was quickly darkening. A loud clap of thunder shook through the atmosphere, announcing the fast approaching rain.

It was a short walk from the center of town to Delbert's mansion. The massive, three-story, brick residence Delbert called home was perfect for the astronomer, complete with observatory tower to the far right of the building.

The three let themselves inside just as the clouds broke open, bathing everything in a gentle rain.

Zara looked about the house in complete awe. She thought she'd never seen anything so grand or beautiful, almost every corner of the room stacked high with books, the bookcases in the walls glowing yellow and red with firelight.

As soon as he'd flown through the doors, Morph flew out of sight, his tiny chirping echoing through the halls as he explored the house.

While Jim got settled into his room on the main floor, Mrs. Hawkins showed Zarabeth to their room on the second floor. After putting her small bundle of clothes away, Zara finally got a good look at the room about her. The walls were a dark blue with white, molded baseboards lining every wall. A large closet took up one of the walls, a door leading to an on-suite bathroom kitty-corner to it. There were two identical twin-sized beds, each outfitted in white silk sheets, a few pillows, and a billowy dark blue comforter to match the wall color.

Zara stroked the fabric cautiously, enjoying the smooth feeling of the silk against her fingers. She'd never slept in such a fancy room before. She didn't know whether to feel excited or nervous, realizing that there were lots of unfamiliar things about starting this new life. Zara had always had simple things, things she wasn't afraid of breaking or ruining, because they weren't worth much.

One thought comforted Zara as her mind reeled in confusing emotions; Jim was with her, and so was Amelia. Things were going to be alright. For now, she should just enjoy playing make-believe, pretending that this kind of life was hers to enjoy forever.

After she'd finished unpacking, Zarabeth went downstairs to the large main room which served as a library, dining room, and living space.

Jim and his mother were already talking quietly as they sat in front of the roaring fireplace at the far end of the room.

As Zara approached, Mrs. Hawkins poured her a cup of tea, pulling forward another chair for her to sit next to Jim.

After everyone was settled, Sarah spoke up. "I know I'll hear everything about the voyage at dinner, but I can't help but wonder if you'll at least tell me about how you two found each other."

Taking Zara's hand in his, Jim smiled at the girl sitting beside him, the firelight dancing warmly over her face and hair.

Over the next hour, Jim and Zarabeth took their turns recalling things that had happened to them over these few months. So much had happened over a short period of time, but to them, it felt like an eternity.

With Jim holding her hand the whole time in support, Zara was able to tell Sarah everything about her situation, her parents, early life, her cruel treatment as a slave, and what was going to happen now.

Mrs. Hawkins listened in complete silence to everything they had to say until they were finished. She looked happy, but there was another emotion which showed only in her eyes. It was a mixture of pity, compassion, and love which Zarabeth saw. The room was quiet, save the crackling of the fire, before Sarah finally found the rights words to speak. "Ever since you were born, Jim, I wondered and dreamed about what type of man you'd become and who would someday capture your heart and earn your love. Seeing the man you've grown into, I could never have accepted a less worthy person to deserve you. Look at her, Jim. Do you see how much she loves you? I do. And I see that you love Zarabeth too. I couldn't be more proud of you, or happier to have you become a part of our lives, Zarabeth." Saying this, Mrs. Hawkins leaned forward far in her chair, hugging them each in turn. Holding Zara at arm's length, Sarah spoke again. "I can already see how tender your spirit is, but also the strength of your heart. Even so, no bird belongs in a cage. We will keep fighting until you are free. I promise." With no more left to be said, Mrs. Hawkins stood, picking the tea tray up from a small table. "Now if you two will excuse me, I have a celebratory dinner to prepare. Let me know when Delbert and Amelia get back."

As the sound of Sarah's footsteps faded into the distance, Jim and Zara were left alone in the silence of the vast room, the fire chattering quietly to itself as it continued to burn.

Putting her cup aside, Zara closed her eyes as she let her head fall to the side, cradled against Jim's shoulder as a wave of fatigue suddenly threatened to pull her to sleep. Yawning quietly, Zara whispered up to Jim as she tried to fight to stay awake. "I love your mom."

Jim spoke just as quietly in response. "Yeah. Me too. I think we surprised her pretty good."

Zara looked up at the boy as she laughed. "Ya think?" She covered her mouth as another yawn escaped from her lips.

Planting a small kiss in her hair, Jim whispered as Zara's head rested once more against his shoulder. "You must be exhausted. Close your eyes, stop talking, and just relax. If you fall asleep, I'll wake you up when doc and Amelia get back. Ok?"

Zarabeth took in a deep breath as she closed hers eyes. "Ok."

Before long, Zara's mind was swept away into soft darkness as she lost herself in sweet sleep.

About an hour passed before Zara was gently shaken awake by Jim. Amelia, Doppler, and B.E.N. had just returned from the spaceport and dinner was finally ready to be served.

As they ate, everyone listened intently to Amelia as she told Sarah all about their voyage. In her eloquent words, even their most nail-biting experiences sounded like small inconveniences.

After the dishes had been washed and put away, everyone gradually gathered back in front of the fire to relax for the rest of the evening.

Zara was sitting on the floor, her back propped against Jim's legs as he sat in a wing-back chair behind her. After her short nap earlier, Zarabeth felt much more awake, but she didn't feel like talking. She felt like listening. She listened as B.E.N. and Doppler discussed the formation of nebulas and black holes. She listened to Amelia and Mrs. Hawkins as they went over Sarah's plans for rebuilding the Benbow Inn. She listened to Jim sitting behind her as he looked over the treasure that Silver had given him, carefully scrutinizing each piece before moving onto the next.

Zarabeth watched the flames dance about the fireplace, mesmerized by their unpredictable movements. She couldn't help but let her mind wander as the sounds around her became muffled and mixed.

She thought about Silver, and how much she already missed him. She thought about how much had happened over the last three days. Zara instinctively raised her hand to feel the hairline cut on the side of her neck that Regulus had given her the night she discovered the mutiny. It was almost healed already, nothing but a small scabbed line now. Was it really only three nights ago? It felt like an eternity. Zara remembered how defeated she felt. Everything had fallen apart so quickly, but it was amazing how little time it took to be remedied again. It was comforting, almost, thinking about how things had turned out alright in the end. It was almost as if it were just meant to be.

Life in general had suddenly changed so much. Zara had hope now, something she hadn't had in years. She knew that even if, at some point, she had to leave with Amelia, she'd be back and Jim would be waiting for her. Even if her body wasn't, her heart was free; free to love again, free to enjoy again, and now, free to hope again.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29:**

"Leave him alone!" Tears cascaded from Zara's eyes as she struggled against the invisible hands which restrained her. Everything around her was pitch black, save a single red light which illuminated the horrible sight in from of her.

Jim was being lifted high up in the air, kicking and struggling, as the hand of Zara's old master slowly squeezed the boy's neck.

"Please! I'll do anything! Just let him go!" Zarabeth could feel the stinging in her eyes as the hot tears continued to flow, desperately pleading for Jim's life.

Those eyes. Those golden feline eyes which seemed to sear the flesh from anything he looked upon, now burned their way through Zara. A menacing hiss escaped through his clenched teeth as he bared his fangs at the girl. His voice was low and cold, making the hair on Zara's neck stand on end. "Pathetic little girl. You did this to him."

Without another word, the feline man raised his clawed hand before lashing it across Jim's body. Like perfectly sharp knives, each pass ripped right through his body, his blood pouring from his open wounds.

Jim's desperate cries of pain rang in the girl's ears as his life was ripped mercilessly from him.

No matter how much Zarabeth kicked and screamed, she couldn't get to Jim. She watched in agony as her master dropped the boy's lifeless body, letting it crumple motionless to the floor.

Blood still dripping from his claws, the man slowly approached Zara, his voice unchanged. "You are mine. You always will be. You can't escape me!"

Releasing one last cry, Zarabeth sat bolt upright, everything around her changing suddenly. Her master was gone, Jim wasn't on the floor. Zara was awake.

Her whole body shaking, Zarabeth leaned back against the headboard of the bed, her arms hugging her knees to her chest as she tried to stop crying.

Taking a few shaky breaths, Zara suddenly felt a warm hand against her shoulder. Looking up, the girl was met with the gentle face of Mrs. Hawkins.

Sarah's voice was soft and kind, a motherly voice, something Zara hadn't heard in years. "Bad dream?"

Zara nodded as she hurriedly tried to wipe the tears from her eyes as they continued to fall. "I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

Mrs. Hawkins sat on the edge of the bed beside Zara as she answered. "Oh, it doesn't matter. I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

In growing embarrassment, Zarabeth wished in vain for her tears to cease, but the images of her nightmare persisted to overwhelm her senses. Crying in front of Jim's mom, she felt so weak.

Seeing how shook up she still was, Mrs. Hawkins wrapped her arm about Zarabeth's shoulders, pulling the girl into a comforting hug. She whispered quietly as she stroked the girl's head like only a mother can. "Sweetheart, it's alright to cry. Trying to hold back will only get you a bad case of the hiccups."

Cradled in Mrs. Hawkins' warm embrace, Zara let go of her feelings of insecurity as she allowed her tears to flow freely.

She hated her nightmares. She hated that even though her master was dead, she knew that he would live on forever in the world of her dreams. She could never escape him, no matter how much she tried.

Zarabeth took in the feeling of Sarah's every motherly gesture. She was stroking Zara's hair, running her hand gently over her upper arm, and humming a song quietly, a song Zara didn't recognize.

As her sobs slowly began to fade, the tears no longer falling, Zarabeth couldn't help but smile sadly. Her mother used to hold her like this, a long time ago. Zara thought about how safe she always felt in her mother's arms as she'd rock her back and forth against her chest until she'd fall asleep. She didn't have many memories of her mother or father, but she had that one to cling to.

Zara took a few deep breaths to make sure that she was calm again. Her mind no longer replaying the scenes from her dreams, Zarabeth relaxed as she felt a sense of peace flow through her.

Sarah, one arm still around Zara's shoulders, pulled away slightly as she lifted a golden chain, which had been around her neck, over her head, revealing a golden locket hanging from it. "Here, I want to show you something."

Letting the pendant rest in her hand, Sarah pressed a small button at its top, allowing it to open up in her palm. From one wall of the opened locket, a series of colored holographic images began showing in succession, illuminating everything around it in a light glow.

Zara laughed slightly as she spoke in astonishment at what she saw. "That's Jim."

The images first displayed a little baby boy as he crawled around on all fours across an invisible floor, giggling in perfect contentment as he kicked his legs about. Now he was a little older, maybe two or three, watching in awe and excitement as a top twirled about his feet, barely out of reach. The next images showed him around seven years old, hoisting an animal with purple tentacles onto his shoulder, the pet being about his own size. Now he was probably eleven, attaching a brand new solar-sail to his surfer in obvious excitement.

The images began to repeat their series as Sarah closed the locket with a 'click'.

Resting her head against Mrs. Hawkins' shoulder, Zarabeth spoke quietly as Sarah replaced the chain about her neck. "Jim's always been cute, I see."

Sarah laughed quietly as she leaned the side of her head against Zara's. "I would certainly have to agree. But along with that, I also think he has very good taste."

Zara smiled as she closed her eyes. "I'm glad you think so. I'll admit that I was pretty nervous about what you'd think of me, especially since it was a complete surprise."

"A surprise indeed, but not at all unwelcome. I'm just happy that Jim found a gentle, kind, and wonderful girl like you. A mother always worries about those things, but I no longer need to be." Giving the girl's shoulders a gentle squeeze, Sarah stood as she made her way back to her own bed. "Goodnight, sweet girl. Hope you can get some more sleep."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hawkins."

"Oh none of that, now. Just call me Sarah or mom or anything like that."

Zarabeth smiled as she lay back down, enveloped in the silky bedding around her, happy to be feeling safe once more. "Okay, I will. Goodnight, Sarah."


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30:**

The months quickly rolled by one after another. Zarabeth had never been happier. She spent almost every day with Jim, unless he was helping with the construction for the new inn. When she wasn't with him, Zara spent her days in town with Sarah or Amelia, or in Delbert's house exploring the vast mansion, reading from his library, or baking things in his massive kitchen.

When she was with Jim, they'd do nothing in particular. Usually just talking about anything and everything, they simply enjoyed each other's company. The bond of love between them only grew the more time they spent together. But, as they fell deeper in love, the thought of being separated at any time grew harder and harder for them to accept. The two spent each day together as if it were their last, in case of Amelia suddenly being hired to commandeer another voyage.

The new Benbow Inn was far from being finished, but they were still making progress. If Jim were helping with the work, Zara would bring him his lunch, always anxious to see how far along the work had come. It was already obvious that the new building would be more grand and beautiful than before.

On one such afternoon, Zarabeth and Jim were enjoying a simple lunch together. They were sitting in the unfinished garden on the right side of the plateau where the inn was situated.

As they ate, Zarabeth suddenly noticed two people making their way toward them, two people she hadn't expected to see. Zara nudged the boy to get his attention, motioning with her head behind him. "Jim, what do you make of that?"

About a hundred feet down the road, Amelia and Delbert were slowly walking arm-in-arm down the plateau toward the inn.

Jim simply chuckled as he shaded his eyes with his hand, trying to get a better glimpse. "I dunno. Looks pretty suspicious to me." Jim was turned so that he was still sitting toward Zara, but his shoulders and head were twisted at an awkward angle to look down the road.

"You don't think...could they?" The girl couldn't help but let her mind run away with the possibility of Delbert and Amelia actually forming an attraction.

Jim took another bite of his sandwich, his eyes still trained on the approaching figures as he smiled.

"Jim stop staring!" Zara hurriedly took her hand to pull Jim's shoulders back to face her.

The boy laughed as he grabbed the girl's hand before she could pull it back, holding onto it securely with both of his. "But you were staring!"

Trying to escape the boy's grasp, Zara laughed with him as she kept her eyes on Amelia and Delbert. "Well, we can't both stare! James Pleiades Hawkins, give me back my hand!"

Jim shook his head defiantly, a mischievous smirk on his face as he pulled the girl's hand firmly, forcing her to come closer to him. "Nope. Not until you ask nicely." The harder he pulled on her hand, the closer he leaned in, until their faces were only inches apart.

Zarabeth blushed slightly as she smiled, trying to avoid the boy's gaze. "Please let go of my hand?"

Closing the distance between them, Jim's lips brushed teasingly against Zara's as he barely spoke his reply. "One more time?"

The girl felt herself giving in as she closed her eyes in anticipation, not wanting him to stop. She was more asking for Jim to continue than to cease. "Please?"

Zara felt like she would burst apart with happiness as she felt the gentle touch of Jim's lips against her own. It wasn't just a kiss, it was as if his soul was brushing against hers as they sang together in perfect harmony. Nothing had ever felt so right, so natural. The tender kiss only deepened as neither of them wanted to be the first to pull away, both wishing that they could stay like this forever.

Drawing back into reality, Jim and Zara remembered where they were as the sound of someone approaching forced them to pull away from their embrace.

Looking up, Zara couldn't help but smile at what she was met with. Delbert and Amelia were standing a few feet away, their hands tightly clasped together.

Delbert cleared his throat before speaking. "I'm glad we found you two together. Amelia and I have something we'd like to tell you."

Amelia's eyes dilated in obvious affection as she watched Doppler's face. Her voice was gentle, yet behind that gentleness was a tone of eagerness which urged Delbert to continue. "Well, go on."

Zarabeth watched in growing curiosity and excitement as she realized she'd never seen Amelia look so happy before.

Delbert wrapped one of his arms around Amelia's shoulders as he drew her in closer to him, nothing but love in his gaze. "We came to tell you that Amelia and I are engaged to be married."

"You-you're what?" Completely in shock, Zara's mouth hung open slightly, the same look on Jim's face.

Amelia laughed quietly as she blushed ever so slightly. "We're getting married."

Zarabeth needed no other convincing. Without another word, the girl hurriedly got up, her senses flooded with happiness for her friend as she embraced her. "Oh Amelia! I can't believe it! Congratulations! Oh this is wonderful."

Pulling away at arm's length, the two girls giggled and smiled, unable to hold back their feelings of excitement.

Jim was shaking Delbert's hand as he also wished them his congratulations and well wishes.

For the first time in years, Zarabeth and Amelia began talking like they used to as children, they talked as two girls would. Zarabeth wanted to know everything as she drilled Amelia with questions one after another. "When did he propose? How did he do it? When are you planning to marry? Oh let me see the ring!"

Laughing along with the girl, Amelia explained that they weren't going to have a large ceremony since they wanted to marry quickly. They were planning to go down to sign the papers and make it official that weekend in the hopes that Zara, Jim, and Mrs. Hawkins would be there as their witnesses. "We don't want to make a big fuss about it. Besides, it's not about the wedding day, it's the marriage that's of paramount importance."

There was the Amelia Zarabeth knew, no nonsense or excess, just enough and no more.

Over the next few days, Amelia, Zarabeth, and Mrs. Hawkins were busy with the wedding preparations. Even without the ceremony being large or fancy, there was still quite a lot to do. Mrs. Hawkins and Zara finally convinced Amelia that she at least needed a wedding dress. With no time to buy a new one, Amelia was grateful to accept the dress Sarah wore for her wedding. It fit almost perfectly, but still needed a few alterations to make it just right.

It was the night before the wedding, and all the girls were working hard to finish the dress. Amelia was standing in the middle of Delbert's study, arms stretched out beside her as she stood atop an ottoman, Zarabeth and Mrs. Hawkins huddled around the hem of the floor-length gown as they pinned and stitched it to the right length.

The gown was made of pure white lace, empire-waistline, with a slight train and lace cap-sleeves. It was a simple dress, but timeless in its beauty.

The lace overlay of the dress was long enough, but the hem of the satin underlay needed some lengthening.

On one side of the dress, Zara was pinning some satin edging to the hem while Sarah was sewing it on after she'd pinned it. Without looking, Zarabeth reached for the pincushion next to her to feel around for another pin. After a few seconds of unsuccessfully finding one, the girl pulled her head out from the lace to see that the pincushion was empty. "Uh-oh."

From the other side of the dress, Sarah craned her neck to look at Zara. "Uh-oh what?"

Amelia tipped her head backward to follow Zarabeth's voice. "What seems to be the trouble?"

Zara held up the empty cushion as she asked, "Got anymore pins?"

Mrs. Hawkins looked across the room in concentration as she thought. "There should be another box up in our room on the dresser. Would you like me to get them?"

Zara slowly stood up as she stretched her legs, cramped from crawling around on the floor. "No, no. If it's where you think, it shouldn't be a problem. Keep sewing, I'll be right back."

Upon leaving the study, Zarabeth quickly walked through the short hallway till she reached a door which opened up into the main living and dining area. Making her way through the room, the girl was surprised to see that Delbert, B.E.N., and Jim were all hovering over a table, their backs to her as they stared down at something.

Her curiosity getting the best of her, Zara decided to warn the boys of her presence. "Whatcha guys doin'?"

All three heads instantly shot up at the girl's voice as they each spun around, creating a wall of bodies to hide whatever was on the table behind them.

Zara couldn't help but feel satisfied at their reactions as she saw how stiff and nervous each of them looked.

Jim tried to act casual as he leaned against the table, his voice giving away his charade. "Zarabeth! Hey! How's it going?"

Zarabeth smirked as she listened to the shakiness in the boy's voice. "It's going well. We're almost done. I just needed to get something from upstairs. How's it going out here?" The girl couldn't help but probe as she smiled in obvious suspicion at Jim.

Jim tried to smile convincingly as he fidgeted with something behind him. "Good, good! We're not doing anything out here. Pretty boring actually."

Zara raised an eyebrow as she turned to climb the stairs to her right, her tone sarcastic as she walked away. "Oh yes, you three look very bored." The girl resisted the urge to look back at them to see how her comment affected the group, but she could guess at it well enough.

A few minutes later, Zarabeth was back in the study with the retrieved box of pins. The girl laughed quietly to herself as she returned to her previous position in front of the ottoman. Meeting Amelia and Mrs. Hawkins questioning looks, Zarabeth explained what was so funny. "There is definitely something fishy going on out in the next room. Those boys are up to something, I just don't know what."

Sarah raised an eyebrow as she spoke, taking out some pins from between her teeth. "Is it something for the wedding?"

"I have a feeling it's not, especially since they obviously didn't want me to know anything. I think they would if it were for the wedding."

The subject quickly died after this observation, since there was no way of knowing. The girls continued to chatter on about how beautiful Amelia was going to look and guessing at how how many children they'd have.

The alterations finished, the boys already asleep, Amelia, Sarah, and Zarabeth finally said their goodnights as they separated into their two rooms.

No matter how hard Zara tried to sleep, it evaded her for a few hours more. She was too excited, her mind abuzz with thoughts as her imagination sent her far from the bed she was lying in. Zarabeth knew that, after tomorrow, her life would never be the same. Nothing would be the same. After this night, she'd be free.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31:**

Brushing through the gentle waves of her hair, Zara couldn't help but smile as she thought about the day ahead of her. Looking herself over once more in the mirror on the wall, Zarabeth was pulled out of her daydreams by a firm knock on the closed door behind her.

Mrs. Hawkins' head emerged from the bathroom door, her hair wrapped in a towel. "Be a dear and get the door, Zarabeth?"

The girl smiled back at Sarah as she replied, making her way across the room. "Don't worry, I've got it." Opening the bedroom door, Zara was surprised to find the hallway before her empty. Poking her head through the wooden frame, Zara craned her neck to make sure that there really wasn't anyone there.

About ready to close the door, the girl suddenly stopped as her eye caught something on the floor in front of her feet. A large, thin box, wrapped in brown paper and tied off with a pink ribbon, a note tied to the fabric, was waiting to be found. Picking it up, the box felt somewhat heavy, and didn't make any noise when Zara shook it. Bringing the box back into the room, the girl placed it carefully atop her bed as she turned over the card. The piece of paper had a handwritten note which read:

"You've been waiting a long time for today, but now it's finally here. I am so grateful that I get to be there with you through every step of it. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Ever. I belong with you. Now hurry up and get down here so I can see my beautiful girl!

Oh, and don't forget, we have a date tonight. I hope you're ready to look like a fool with me out on that dance floor.

Always yours,

Jim"

With a sigh of pure happiness, Zarabeth let herself fall backwards onto the bed as she held the note close to her chest.

The bathroom door opened with a 'click' as Sarah came back into the room. Wearing an elegant light purple dress, her hair now dried, curled, and pulled up, Mrs. Hawkins was fastening her locket back around her neck as she noticed Zara on the bed, the unopened package beside her. "Oh, what's that?"

Slowly sitting up, her elbows propped behind her, Zara's smile was like someone in a trance, distant and distracted, but full of love. The girl let Mrs. Hawkins read the note as she watched for her reaction.

Sarah's face lit up as she read Jim's words. "Do you think this is what he was hiding from you last night? Oh, open it up! I want to see what Jim got you!"

Her excitement growing, Zara pulled away the ribbon as she tore apart the brown paper. Beneath was a simple white box, without markings or words to give any clue of its contents. Carefully taking the lid off, Zara's breath caught in her throat at what she saw.

Neatly lying in the base of the box was the bodice of a dress. Gently lifting the fabric out, the dress was fully unveiled. It was beautiful. The gown was floor-length, long sleeves which would come to points over the top of the girl's hands, with everything made of flowing, dark blue fabric. The neckline was square, emphasizing the delicate, corset laced-up back.

Zarabeth was speechless. She couldn't help but think that she'd never held something so beautiful. The girl looked up to meet Mrs. Hawkins' gentle smile. Laughing slightly at herself, Zarabeth finally managed to speak, her voice soft with an overwhelming sense of thankfulness and growing excitement. "Sarah, would you help me, please?"

Almost an hour later, Zarabeth was carefully walking down the hallway, making her way to the head of the stairs. Taking a moment to look down into the vast room below her, Zara saw that Jim was pacing nervously in front of the fireplace. She couldn't help but watch him for a little longer, not wanting him to notice her quite yet. Jim looked so cute when he was flustered. Zara had never seen him dressed up before, but it was a nice change. He looked handsome in his dress shirt and suit pants.

Making sure that she wouldn't trip over the fabric of her dress, Zarabeth looked down at her feet as she walked down the stairs to meet the boy.

Hearing approaching footsteps, Jim suddenly quit his pacing to look up, an expression of pure awe and wonder on his face as he saw Zara coming toward him.

Zarabeth thought she'd melt right through the floor as she looked up to meet Jim's gaze, his half-smile making the girl's heart flutter within her chest. That look. It made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

Spinning around slowly, Zara let Jim get a good look at her in her new dress.

Finally finding his voice, Jim's eyes had never looked more full of love than as he watched the girl before him. "You-you look incredible."

Her hair pulled up in a braided bun, a few loose strands hanging down in curls at the sides of her face, Zara's back was almost completely exposed from her shoulder blades up. She had decided it was time. No more hiding. No more shame. There was nothing left to be ashamed of after that day. The letter branded to the back of her neck, the countless scars which rose over the skin of her back and shoulders, none of it mattered anymore. Those scars would no longer define her.

Jim shook his head abruptly, as if pulling himself back into reality as he offered his arm out to the girl. "Well, shall we? Can't keep Delbert waiting."

Zara couldn't help but smile at how formal Jim had suddenly become. It was nice. Wrapping her arm about his, Zarabeth and Jim walked toward the front door. The girl suddenly stopped, recalling something. "Wait! What are we doing? Jim, we don't have the bride with us! Amelia!" Breaking away from Jim's grasp, the girl hurriedly headed back to the living room as she called up the stairs.

A moment later, Amelia appeared at the head of the stairs, Mrs. Hawkins following closely behind.

Amelia was glowing. The altered wedding dress now fit her perfectly. Her short red hair was curled into small waves pinned behind her ears. The only jewelry she wore was a single strand of pearls fastened around her neck. Amelia looked perfect.

Her feline eyes radiated with happiness and anticipation, but aside from that, Amelia looked just as calm as ever. "Even if we are late, it's not like Delbert can get married without me."

As she finished descending the stairs, Amelia was immediately caught in Zarabeth's embrace. Pulling away at arm's length, Zara couldn't help but speak as she looked at her friend. "Amelia, you look perfect. I hope Delbert knows how blessed he is to have you marry him today."

"My dear girl, today is a very special day, not just for Delbert and I, but for all of us. Now, let's go get it started."


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32:**

Listening to Amelia and Delbert exchange their wedding vows, Zarabeth couldn't help but sigh quietly, happiness completely filling her. The girl sat in the front row of the chapel with Jim on one side of her while Sarah and B.E.N. sat on the other. Morph was floating quietly behind their shoulders unless he decided to rest on either Zara or Jim as he cooed happily.

Zara let her head fall to the side, resting contently on Jim's shoulder as the boy played aimlessly with her fingers.

They were the only ones in the room watching the ceremony, but the noise level would make one think otherwise. The way B.E.N. was crying, his sobs ringing through the quiet, you'd think it would have disturbed the wedding, but luckily that wasn't the case. The way Delbert and Amelia looked at one another, you could tell that they felt like the only people in the world, completely unaware of anything happening around them.

As quickly as it had begun, the wedding was almost over. The two exchanged their final vows as they placed their wedding bands on each other's fingers. Then, the officiant said the words everyone had been waiting to hear. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Delbert, you may kiss your bride."

Pulling Amelia close to him, Delbert said something that only she could hear. She blushed slightly as he finished, her smile broadening as she wrapped her arms about Delbert's neck. They're kiss was short and sweet, obviously made special by the deep love they felt for each other.

The room erupted into clapping and cheers as the wedding came to an end. B.E.N. whistled shrilly as Morph exploded into fireworks and confetti.

Turning to face their friends, Delbert and Amelia looked completely satisfied. Delbert's face suddenly donned a mischievous look as he picked Amelia up without warning, holding her bridal-style as they exited the chapel. Surprised by the action, Amelia let out a small cry of surprise, laughing as she clung tightly to her husband.

Getting up from their seats, the rest of the group joined the newlyweds outside as they watched them get into Delbert's covered carriage.

Standing in the cobblestone street, Zarabeth smiled in contentment as she felt Jim wrap his arms about her shoulders from behind, his head resting next to hers. "Wasn't it wonderful?"

Jim gently pressed his lips to the girl's cheek before answering. "It sure was." The boy was quiet for a moment before continuing. "I hate to admit it, but I was kinda distracted during the whole thing."

Zara turned her head to try to see the boy's face. "Wait, why?"

Jim bit his lip for a moment before returning Zara's look with a half-smile, hesitating for a second before answering. "I was thinking about what it'll be like for us someday."

Zarabeth felt her heart skip a beat at Jim's words, desperately hoping that she understood. "You mean, getting married?"

Jim's voice lowered as he rested his forehead against Zara's. "That's exactly what I mean."

Zarabeth drew in a sharp breath, unable to suppress the feelings bubbling up inside of her. She knew that they'd both felt the same way about their future, but until that moment, those understandings had never been spoken. Hearing it from Jim's own lips sent her mind reeling in newfound thankfulness and love for him. She knew he wasn't perfect, she wasn't either, but he was more than enough, more than she'd ever hoped for.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Zara did something she'd been too scared to ever do before. She kissed Jim.

The boy's surprise at Zara's reaction quickly faded as he deepened the kiss between them. This precious girl in his arms, he never wanted to let her go. Zarabeth was his to protect and love, hopefully for the rest of his life.

As the two slowly pulled away, Jim and Zara realized that everyone else had already left them.

Zarabeth hurriedly looked around, laughing at the situation as she saw that she and Jim were alone in the street. "Alright. They left us."

Laughing along with her, Jim looked down the street as he answered. "Well, it's not like they can start lunch without us. Or, even if they did, they wouldn't dare touch your dessert."

Zara pretended to be offended at the thought as she spoke in a comical tone. "Oh, they'd better not touch my cake! I'll have you know, that thing took a long time to make, Mr. Hawkins!"

"Well then, we'd better get back there to keep an eye on everyone. Your hand, my lady?" Taking her by the hand, Jim began walking with Zara back toward the Dopplers' house.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33:**

After Amelia and Delbert had changed into some more comfortable clothes, everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch made by Sarah and served by B.E.N.

Even through dessert, Zara couldn't help but feel fidgety. Her mind was alive with questions and what-if's, making normal conversation close to impossible since she couldn't concentrate.

Suddenly noticing how Zara was wringing her hands in her lap, Jim scooted a little closer to her, wrapping an arm about her shoulders as he ran his thumb over her arm to try to calm her taught nerves.

Feeling Jim around her, Zarabeth took a deep breath. Everything was going to be fine. She had been waiting her whole life for this day, but now that it was here, Zara couldn't wait another minute. One thought continued to nag at the back of her mind as she bit her lower lip nervously. The girl looked up into Jim's face, her own marked with anxiousness as she whispered her fear to him. "Jim, what if it won't work?"

Pain filled the boy's heart as he tried to smile reassuringly. He hoped he looked more confident than he felt, the same thought also present in his mind. "Don't worry, it will."

"But, if it doesn't-" The girl was cut short by Jim's finger against her lips.

"It will. Now, relax. Today's supposed to be a happy day."

Zarabeth let out a sigh of resignation, letting her head rest on the boy's shoulder as he continued to stroke her shoulder. She knew she shouldn't worry, but after all this time, it was hard to not be nervous. But, until it was all said and done, Zara was mentally preparing for if things went wrong.

Jim tried hard to keep his breathing even and calm as Zara's question fanned the sparks of worry in the back of his mind into a flame. He promised himself that, come what may, he'd be there for Zara. Jim knew that he'd always love her, no matter what would happen after today. All he could do was hope that everything would be alright.

It felt like an eternity getting there, but an hour later Zara was finally standing in the middle of the cobblestone street, looking up at the courthouse before her as everyone else got out of the carriage. Noticing that Zara had turned back to look at him, Jim smiled as he tried to reassure the girl, not having to guess at how nervous she was. "Hey, I'll be right here waiting for you."

Zara nodded as she turned to leave, disappointed that he couldn't come in with her.

"And Zara," Jim spoke up again, stopping the girl just as she was about to reach the door. "I love you."

Zara didn't trust her voice enough to speak, but knew that Jim would understand her as she mouthed the words, "I love you too."

Taking a deep breath, Zarabeth felt like her feet would give out at any moment as she walked behind Amelia and Delbert through the clean hallways into one of the legal offices.

As Delbert and Amelia filed into a room on their left, Zarabeth hesitated. She knew that when she'd come back out of that room, her life would change forever.

The minutes which followed blurred together in Zara's mind as she somehow found herself sitting at the back of the small room while Amelia and Delbert talked with the official over the legal procedure of freeing the girl of her contract. It couldn't have taken long, but Zarabeth felt like time had completely stopped, hearing nothing but the pounding of her own heart loud in her ears as she fiddled with the dark fabric of her dress.

Suddenly pulled from her trance, Zara realized that Amelia was calling her to come over to her.

Once in front of the desk, Zarabeth finally got a good look at the official before her. He was an alien man with tentacles, much like the pirate Turnbuckle, but his face seemed kind and gentle, her fears slowly melting away as she met his gaze.

The man pointed her attention down toward his desk, a single piece of paper in front of her. The girl's heart jumped to her throat as she realized what it was. It was her contract.

The officer's voice was deep, but not forceful as he offered the paper to her. "Miss Hartfit, I thought you would like to do the honors."

Suddenly realizing what he meant, Zarabeth's face lit up, unable to do anything but smile. Gingerly taking the document in her hands, the girl took a deep breath as she looked over it one last time. This was it. With one fluid motion, Zara pulled the sides of the paper in opposite directions, the fibers giving way as she tore the contract in half.

Looking down at the pieces in her hands, Zara drew her attention back to the official as he spoke again. "Zarabeth Jane Hartfit, you are hereby relieved of your duties as a life-servant to Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Doppler. The rights to attend school, be under a paying job, and provide a living for yourself are yours to enjoy forthwith as you have need. You are, as of now, a citizen of the planet Montressor and under the law of the royal family according to its ordinances." Saying this, the alien rose from his desk, extending an arm out to the girl.

Zara accepted the official's gesture as she finally found words to speak. "Thank you, sir. Thank you very much."

The alien smiled as he walked with the group back toward the door. "You are quite welcome."

Zarabeth felt like she was floating over the floor as she made her way back out into the street behind the Dopplers. Upon exiting the building, the girl hurriedly looked about for Jim. Seeing him a little ways off, his back to her, Zara could no longer contain the happiness inside of her as she called out to him. "Jim!"

Hearing Zara's voice, Jim turned around, having only a split second to register what was happening before he felt the girl's arms wrapped about him.

"Jim, I'm free! I'm finally free!" The girl let out a small cry as she felt Jim lift her up by her waist till she was staring down at him. Pure joy was all she could see in Jim's face, his crystal blue eyes locked with hers as he laughed with Zara.

Carefully lowering her back to the ground, Jim cupped the sides of the girl's face in his hands as he let his forehead rest against hers. The boy whispered so that only Zara could hear him. "How do you feel?"

Unable to tear her eyes from his, Zarabeth's answer was equally quiet. "Light, like I could fly."

Jim's face suddenly changed, his eye getting a far-off look, staring at nothing in particular.

"Jim? What is it?"

The boy suddenly wore a mischievous smile as he began pulling Zara back over to the carriage where the Dopplers were waiting. "Zarabeth, your wish is my command."

Unable to do anything but follow the boy's lead, Zara laughed as she tried to understand what Jim was saying. "What are you talking about?"

Jim helped the girl up to sit next to Amelia, not moving to join her. "I have a promise to keep. Go back to the house and wait for me there. I'll be by for you in a few hours. Ok?"

Still completely confused, Zara looked down at Jim as she chuckled at her own bewilderment. "I still don't understand, but I trust you."

Without another word, Jim released the girl's hand, flashing her a brilliant smile before walking off in the opposite direction toward the heart of town.

The whole way back to the mansion and the hours that followed, Zara couldn't think of anything other than what Jim's surprise might be. She knew that he was going to take her out dancing that evening, so all she could do was freshen up enough to look presentable for that.

For the rest of that afternoon, the whole world seemed new to Zarabeth. Everything looked brighter, happier, more full of life, not unlike how she herself felt inside. The eighteen years she'd waited for her life to change had suddenly climaxed, revealing a life before her which she thought she'd never see, a life with Jim forever.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34:**

"Jim, where are we going?" Zara laughed as she tried to think of where the boy was leading her, the world around her pitch black, concealed by Jim's hands over her eyes.

"I've got the surprise ready for you! Oh, watch out, there's a step right there. Good, now just keep walking slowly."

With no idea as to where she was, Zara suddenly realized that she was walking on a stone floor. "Wait, are we outside?"

"Shush! No questions! Just keep walking!"

Now Zarabeth was sure that they were outside. She laughed quietly, enjoying how flustered she'd made Jim as she continued to blindly walk forward.

Zara felt Jim's hands over her eyes pull her back slightly, signaling her to stop walking. The girl waited for Jim to either say something or remove his hands, but after a minute of being still and silent, Zara couldn't help but speak. "James Hawkins, stop teasing me! Can't I open my eyes yet?"

Jim's breath tickled her ear as he leaned down from behind her to whisper his reply. "Ok, on the count of three. One..."

The girl's heart began to race in anticipation as she stood there waiting.

"Two..."

Her excitement getting the best of her, Zara began to laugh as she waited in painful slowness for Jim to say the last word.

"Three!"

His hands pulled from her face, Zara had to squint for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the bright evening light around her. They were standing in the stone driveway up to the mansion about halfway between it and where the path met with the main road. On the pavement in front of the girl was an old solar-surfer, its sail completely unfurled, standing about seven feet high.

Zara beamed as she realized what they were about to do, her voice filled with excitement as she laughed. "You're taking me flying?"

Surrounded by the girl's embrace, Jim couldn't help but laugh with her as he returned the hug. "You said you felt like you could. Well, now you can!"

Leading her over to the surfer, Jim placed his foot in a safety strap near the front of the board, showing Zara how to stand behind him, one foot in a similar strap. Jim held onto the steering bar attached to the sails while Zarabeth wrapped her arms firmly about his chest for support.

Making sure everything was working, Jim turned his head back to look at the girl. "Ready?"

Zara adjusted her stance one more time, making sure she had a good hold around Jim before answering. "Let's go!"

As soon as Jim put his foot down on the thruster, the surfer took off, steadily gaining altitude until they were a good thirty feet off the ground.

Zara let out a small cry of surprise as the board jolted forward, her hold on Jim keeping her in place as they flew above the paved road. The girl unconsciously squeezed her eyes shut, only daring to open them as soon as the surfer had leveled off about fifty feet from the surface, getting used to its speed.

Looking down at the ground far below, Zara couldn't help but laugh at the bubbly feeling in her chest. Everything looked so beautiful from above, the whole surface bathed in darkening yellow and orange light as the evening continued to persist into twilight. Even the colorless canyons below looked full of vibrancy and life as it glowed.

As she got used to the feeling of flying, Zara realized that Jim was going easy for her sake. He'd been surfing since he was eight and that's what Zarabeth wanted to see. She wanted to see him at his best. Calling out so that Jim could hear her, Zara tried to stir him up, knowing that he wouldn't be able to resist the chance to show off a little. "Let's see what you're made of!"

Turning his head slightly to call back to her, Jim's face suddenly wore a mischievous look. "Oh! Is that a challenge?"

Zara laughed as she tried to be heard over the whipping of the sail. "Only if you accept it!"

Jim turned one more time to look at Zara, his face marked with determination as he got ready to urge the thrusters to full speed. "Hang on!"

Stomping down on the thruster, the engine revved into new life as they climbed higher into the burning sky. Just as they began to ascend through the lowest clouds, Jim put his foot to a button near the end of the board, the solar sail suddenly retracting into the base.

Jim crouched down, bending at the knees as he leaned forward, tipping the surfer at a steep angle toward the ground as they ceased their free fall. The boy let out a triumphant whoop as they quickly gained speed, nose-diving toward a ravine which wound its way through the gray canyons below.

Zara held onto Jim with all her might as she felt her heart jump to her throat. The rush of adrenaline she felt was like nothing she'd ever known before. She felt weightless, more alive than ever before.

As they drew closer and closer to the ground, Zara waited for Jim to pull the sail back up, but it wasn't until they were only ten feet from the surface that Jim pressed the button. The sail shot back into action, urging the thrusters on, drinking in the evening light as they sped through the ravine.

With a feeling of exhilaration like she'd never experienced, Zarabeth dared to take one hand away from around Jim, releasing the ribbon's hold on her hair as the brown waves whipped wildly about her face, suddenly let loose. Throwing her head back, Zara let her overwhelming feelings entoxicate her senses as her voice rang victoriously through the walls of the canyon around them. This was life. This was joy. This was freedom.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35:**

Zara let Jim support her, his arm securely about her shoulders as they walked over to sit at a bench across the street from a large hotel in the center of town. They had flown for almost an hour before stopping.

The adrenaline she'd felt only moments ago suddenly gone, Zara realized how much energy flying had taken from her. Thankful to sit down for a little while, the girl couldn't help but continue to smile as she remembered how it felt falling through the sky. Completely satisfied, Zarabeth let out a small sigh as she laid her head against Jim's chest, his arms gently holding her to himself.

Planting a small kiss on the top of her head, Jim spoke quietly so that only Zara would hear him. "So, first impression?"

The girl's answer was equally quiet as she listened to the steady beating of the boy's heart. "Incredible."

"I probably should've gone a little easier, especially since you'd never flown before. Hope I didn't wear you out too much."

Zara shook her head as she turned to look up into Jim's eyes. "No. It was perfect."

Silence followed for a while, the two content to simply sit with each other. As the sky above them slowly darkened, the street lamps began to come on one-by-one.

Eventually, the quiet of the evening was broken by the sound of lively music coming from inside the hotel across the street from where Jim and Zara sat. People of every kind began to file into the building, usually in pairs.

Breaking the silence between them, Jim was the first to speak as they watched the crowd slowly grow. "I have one more surprise for you before we go inside."

Sitting up a little, Zara shook her head as she spoke, laughter behind her words. "You really know how to spoil a girl, don't you?"

Jim pulled his bangs out of his eyes as he tried to answer, appearing almost embarrassed as his cheeks reddened slightly. "Well, um, actually...you'd be the first. So, I hope I'm doing a good job of it."

Hearing this, Zara thought she'd melt right through the ground, her heart warm with love. The girl brought her hand to the far side of Jim's face, gently pulling him closer as she placed her lips against his cheek. "That answer your question?"

With a confident smile, Jim released his hold on the girl for a moment, twisting to pull something out of his back pocket. In the boy's hand were two crisp white envelopes, one with Zara's name and the other with Jim's. A symbol which Zara didn't recognize was stamped in the top corner of each envelope, only making the girl more confused as to what they could contain.

Biting his lip, Jim smiled nervously as he explained. "A few months ago, Amelia and I discussed the likely possibility of her and Delbert getting married, and through that, your freedom. After a lot of talk, we decided to go ahead and apply to the Counsel of Colleges on Kalepsia to see if they'd be willing to accept you and me into their program for off-world students, specifically the Royal Interstellar Academy and the College of Technical Arts. These came for us last week, but I wanted to wait until today to open mine with you."

Trying to process what Jim was saying, Zara looked off into the distance as she spoke in disbelief. "Wait...so, you applied for me to-"

Jim cut the girl off, answering her question before she could finish asking. "To go to pastry school. Yeah."

Carefully taking the envelope in her hand, Zara turned it over, ripping the top away with one fluid motion. Jim did the same, both hesitating to pull its contents free of the opened envelope.

Their eyes meeting at the same instant, Jim asked quietly, both nervous and excited. "Together?"

Zara nodded in agreement as she held onto the letter. "Together."

Silence ensued between them as Jim and Zarabeth hurriedly read their separate letters, desperately hoping that they'd see what they wanted to.

As his eyes fell upon a certain sentence, Jim couldn't help but speak, his face lit up in excitement. "I-I got in. They're letting me in!"

The paper still in her hands, Zara's heart raced in happiness as she threw her arms about Jim's neck, both laughing in excitement at the news they'd received.

Pulling away slightly, Jim tried to read the girl's face for a clue as to what hers had said. "Zara?"

The girl could no longer suppress a smile as she answered. "Jim, I'm going to school. Me. I'm going to pastry school. I'll never be able to thank you enough."

Jim pulled Zarabeth in for another hug, his head resting in her long hair as he smiled, completely content.

Everything was perfect. Jim was certain that he'd found the most beautiful and perfect girl in the world and he was determined to spend the rest of his life at her side.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36:**

"Oh boy." Zara let out a nervous breath as she walked into the hotel ballroom with Jim, her arm linked with his. The music coming from the live band at the back of the room echoed through the walls, accompanied by the rhythmic thumping of feet and hands as the dance floor moved in an organized maze of dancing bodies. The scene was breathtaking.

Jim led Zara over to an empty table, pulling out a chair for her in a gentlemanly manner. The two watched the people in awe until the dance concluded as everyone clapped for the band.

As everyone waited for the next dance to spring to life, Zara leaned over to Jim so that he could hear her above the din of the room, laughing as she spoke. "What were we thinking? We are gonna look like absolute fools out there!"

Laughing with her, Jim spoke close to the girl's ear. "Well then, we'd better get started." Rising from his seat, Jim stood in front of the girl before bowing low at the waist, his hand extended out to Zara. "My lady, it would give me great pleasure if you'd agree to look like a fool with me. May I have this dance?"

Accepting his hand, Zarabeth stood before giving a formal curtsy. "It would be my honor, sir."

The lively music had just begun by the time Jim and Zara had found a place to stand among the couples. With one warning note, the whole room simultaneously began to move, all except for Jim and Zarabeth. The couples around them began to spin their partners as they walked forward, everyone moving in a general circle about the floor for a few seconds before changing into another dance step.

With only a few seconds in between, Jim and Zara would somehow get the gist of what to do, mimicking the people around them, just before the step would change.

Holding the hem of her dark blue dress in one hand, Zara quickly learned to stay loose, letting Jim be responsible for figuring out the step and leading her through it until its next change.

Even with no idea of what they were doing, Zara was having the time of her life. Laughing at every mistake, Zarabeth was smiling throughout the entire song as she began to grow dizzy from spinning.

Even though the song was only a few minutes long, it felt like so much more, both Jim and Zara relieved when the music called each dance to a stop.

After a few songs, Zara had to ask if they could rest for a little while, feeling lightheaded from exhilaration and all the spinning.

As the evening wore on, each song became slower and slower, the pace of the music and atmosphere changing as the couples grew more tired or left.

A few hours before midnight, Jim and Zara finally left.

As they walked back across the street to where they'd left the solar-surfer, Zara looked up at the starry Etherium high above them, sighing in contentment as she held onto Jim's arm. "It was the perfect day."

Turning his head, Jim gave the girl a quick peck on the cheek. "Wouldn't change a thing."

Releasing her hold on his arm, Zara let Jim set up the surfer as she continued to stare up into the sky. She could hear the sail fly up into place from behind her as Jim gently took her hand.

"Ready for round two? I'll take it slow this time."

Standing behind Jim, here arms securely about him, Zarabeth let her head rest against his back as she watched the lights of the town fade below them. This boy in her arms, he meant more to her than anyone or anything in the universe. He'd given her more than she could ever repay. He'd given her love, hope, and now, he'd given her a future. Jim was her future.

•The End•

Hello everyone! Well, that was it! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.

A huge "Thank You" to all of my readers from** all over the world**. You guys are the best!

As you may have already guessed, I am currently writing a sequel! I won't be posting anything until I'm further along, but I'm very very excited about it.

God bless!


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